Kidnapped
by Moon Baby2
Summary: They escaped from their captors and are running through the forest. Unfortunately, it rains all the time. It helps them, though, to hide from their captors. Read and find out if they get caught again.
1. Prolouge

Kidnapped By: Moon Baby Rating: PG E-mail: MoonBabyGirl16@yahoo.com  
  
Authors Note: This is my first fanfic and I hope you guys like it.This has no Sailor Moon or Tuxedo Mask or the other scouts as the scouts. This is about Serena and Darien falling in love without all that other sailor stuff. I am not a very good writer so please e-mail me what you think of it.  
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon does not belong to me (no matter what I wish or how much I hope) I am just a fan who came up with an interesting story and I hope you understand that.  
  
Prologue  
  
Multimillionaire Andrew Falcon was walking down Burban St. in the French Quarter on a beautiful April day. When he walked into a mirror and glass shop called "Mirror Images". He was looking at all the unusual glassware and mirrors when he met the owner of the shop Serena Pennington. They talked for a little bit and then went out for coffee in a cafe near the shop. A few months later at the same coffee shop Andrew and Serena are talking about the future. They both want to start a family real soon and are thinking about a marriage that is strictly business. The marriage would not be a love match but a like match.  
  
"You know the gossip columns are wondering about us,"Andrew says.  
  
Serena sighs, "Yeah I know. I just wish they would leave it alone. They think we're engaged, but we are just talking about it."  
  
"I know but that is what happens when your involved with a multimillionaire. But we have been talking about marriage." He reached across the table and took her hand. "Why don't you come to my cottage in Arkansas. It will give us time to talk about the future without gossip around us."  
  
"I guess your right. We can stay for a week and talk about what we can do."  
  
He didn't miss the emphasize on the word talk. "Of course, that's a great idea. We can do it next week." He thought for a second. "I have to go to New York for a business meeting. But I should be back before we have to leave. And if I'm not my second-in-command Darein Cross will take you and stay till I come. He'll make sure you get there safe."  
  
I know I know. Its a little weak but hey its my first time. Go easy on me.Send my comment to Moonbabygirl16@yahoo.com 


	2. Chapter 1

Kidnapped By: Moon Baby Rating: PG E-mail: MoonBabyGirl16@yahoo.com  
  
Authors Note: Okay! This takes place a week later and Darien is picking up Serena to go away with Andrew.  
  
Disclaimer: Yada yada yada.... I don't own Sailor Moon....blah blah blah.... please don't sue me..... I was inspaired to write this by a book I read........  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Darien Cross walks up to the apartment to pick up Serena Pennington. The apartmaent is on the third floor. 'I can't believe Andrew has me babysitting his new girlfriend. I have work I have to do.' He walks to the door and knocks.  
  
A woman answered. Darien has never met Serena but saw a picture of her from Andrew. He knew it was Serena by her long blonde hair and crystal blue eyes and her fair skin."Hi, I'm Darien Cross. I'm Andrew's associate and your esscort to his vacation home."  
  
"Associate?" Raising her eyebrow, "Don't you mean flunky or thug?"  
  
Darien hid his surprise by this woman's bluntness. 'This is the woman Andrew wants to marry? The one he said was sweet, kind, caring and loves kids. Oh boy was he nuts.' If Darien hadn't seen her picture he wouldn't think it was her.  
  
"You are Ms. Pennington, aren't you?"  
  
"Ya I'm Ms. Pennington. Can I call you Dary?" She said with a little smile.  
  
"Not if you want me to answer. Where are your bags so I can take them to my car."  
  
"No, I'm not going. I have better things to do than go away with that rich snob. If it were up to me no one would get into a car with you."  
  
Darien's mouth almost dropped. He can't believe Serena would say something like that when she was suppose to marry Andrew. 'I bet she is just a gold digger. Acts all sweet and kind in front of Andrew and is a real jerk when he is not around.'  
  
"Look if you really don't want to go fine with me. I have better things to do then play babysitter with a smart ass pain in the butt girl. Fine Andrew doesn't really have time for a vacation any way. Lets forget and I'll just lea-"  
  
"Mina, I just saw Mrs. Johnson in the laundry, she wanted me to tell you..." A woman entered with a basket full of clean folded cloths. She looked just like the woman standing in front of him. "Oh. Hi you must be Darien Cross. Your early." She smiled and set the laundry down.  
  
He looked at his watch. "No, I'm right on time."  
  
"My watch must have stopped again. I'll have to get it fixed." She walked over to the door and held out her hand. He took it with a weird look on his face. He looked back and forth between the two woman. They looked so much alike. Now that he really looked the woman who opened the door's hair was a little shorter than the woman who just entered.  
  
"Mina, aren't you going to ask Mr. Cross in?"  
  
"Actually I almost covinsed him to leave without you." She said frowning as she stepped back to let him in.  
  
Sighing Serena frowned at her sister. "I'm sorry. You'll have to excuse my sister she isn't to happy with the idea of my spending the week with Andrew. Let me introduce myself. I'm Serena Pennington, Andrew has spoken very often of you Mr. Cross, and you already met my twin sister Mina."  
  
"Yes, I had the pleasure." Mina flashed a challenging smile at him.(AN: Sorry Mina sounds so cold hearted. She really isn't but she is very protective of Serena so she acts mean) Darien remembered Andrew saying something about Serena having a sister that co owns her shop. 'I wish he told me that she was a twin. I'll have to have a talk with him later about the importance of details.' Darien thought with a frown. "If your ready I think we should get on the road its a long drive and we are wasting time and day light, Ms. Pennington."  
  
"Please call me Serena. Now I know I have to apologise for my sister's behavior." She said with a smile. 'She has a nice smile.' Darien thought. 'He is handsome in a rough outdoorsy type of way.' Serena thought as she turned.  
  
"Are you ready to go?"  
  
"Can I have five minutes? Make yourself at home. Mina why don't you come and help me finish packing. I'm sure Mr. Cross won't mind being alone for a little bit." Serena said trying to make her sister follow her.  
  
"You can finish by yourself. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Mr. Cross." Mina said keeping an eye on Darien.  
  
"I'll be fine on my own."  
  
"I'm sure you won't mind if I stay and make sure Mr. Falcon's chauffeur doesn't get into trouble." Looking at Serena.  
  
Angerly Serena fires back, "Mr. Cross isn't a chauffeur. He is an executive in Andrew's compony. He is here because Andrew got held up in New York."  
  
Mina smiled, "Is that what they are calling flukies these days."  
  
"Mina!!!!" Serena said shockingly.  
  
Darien held up his hand and said, "Mina has an oppinion about this and it's okay that she gets it off her chest now." To his surprise she blushed.  
  
"I suppose I should apologize for that. It's not your fault you are just doing your job. It's my sister who needs the sense knocked in to her." To her surprise Darien chuckled a little.  
  
"You don't approve of the engagement?"  
  
Serena cut in there. "We are not engaged. That is what this trip is about we are going to see if marriage is the right thing. Nothing has been decided." She really didn't know why she had to make him understand that. Mina turned to Darien and asked, "You don't approve of this idea."  
  
"It is non of my business." He said flatly.  
  
"So you are just an employee not a friend of Andrews."  
  
"Andrew is the best friend I ever had. But I don't tell him how to run his life."  
  
Serena had enough of this and finally said, "I wish my sister would learn that. Mina come and help me finish packing so we can leave." Serena grapped Mina's arm and dragged her along.  
  
In Serena's bed room  
  
"Mina I can't believe you were so rude to Mr. Cross like that. I know you don't approve but still it is my life and I'll live it the way I want."  
  
"Even if you are making a mistake? Remember my engagement to Ken. I thought it was all great then he dumped me. I just don't want you to get hurt. I love you ok."  
  
"I love you, too and I know you are worried about me but I can take care of myself. I'm a big girl."  
  
"So are you sure there is no way I can talk you out of this?"  
  
"No, there isn't. Now tell me 'bye and see you later.'"  
  
"Bye and see you later."  
  
They walked out to the living room and found Darien sitting on the couch reading the paper. Mina wishpered in Serena's ear, "He made himself right at home."  
  
"Mina stop that."  
  
Darien looked up from the paper and asked, "Are you ready to go?"  
  
"Yup." Serena walked to her bags by the door and Darien followed. He bent down and picked up the three bags. 'Nice butt.' Serena thought then shock her head in discuss. 'What am I thinking? I shouldn't be looking at his butt I'm with Andrew.' Serena turned and took her watch off and tossed it to her sister. "Have this fixed while I'm gone ok?" Then they left.  
  
***************************  
  
Sitting in Darien's luxuriously sport car Serena looked out the window daydreaming and thinking about what she was doing. 'Am I doing the right thing by going on this week retreat. I mean Andrew and I don't really love each other. We are very fond of each other but enough to get married and have kids?' She was watching the wonderful senery. 'Andrew said Darien was the strong silent type, tough, blunt-spoken, ruthless when necessary but was the most honest, loyal, reliable, and the best friend a guy could have.' Serena looked over at Darien and studied his profile. He wasn't as handsome as Andrew. No his features were more rugged than Andrew's. She would bet that he had his nose broken when he was a kid, just enough to keep it from being combletly straight. His jaw was square, his cheekbones broad, and his unsmiling eyes were such a pale cool blue they looked almost like ice. He had a nice firm mouth, but she dought that those lips ever formed a smile. He had medium-length black hair. That fell over his forehead and gave him a " boyish" look. But there was nothing boyish about Darien Cross. Darien was Andrew's best friend so Serena thought she might as well get along with him cause if she and Andrew got married Darien would be around a lot. She thought it was up to her to break the ice. "Andrew told me that the two of you have been friend since you were in high school."  
  
Darien replied without even taking his eyes of the road. "Yeah."  
  
"Were you neighbors?"  
  
"No."  
  
Okay, no more questions that could be answered in monosyllables she decided. "How did you guys become friends?"  
  
A half smile came over his facs, "Well, four guys were trying to beat me to a pulp. Andrew jumped in to help me."  
  
Serena was shocked. 'Elegant, always incontrol Andrew Falcon in a fight. Who would have thought.'  
  
"Did you two win?"  
  
He chuckled, "No we were both beaten to a pulp."  
  
"That's terrible"  
  
He smiled at that and turned to look at her, "We healed."  
  
"So you and Andrew have been frinds since then?"  
  
He truned back to the road and said, "Yeah."  
  
'Back to the monosyllable words,' she sighed. She turned back to the window and tried to enjoy the view.  
  
It was hard for Darien to pay much attention on the road, he was more interested in the woman beside him. There was something about her that kept drawling him to her. 'What is it about her that makes me not be able to think about anything else.' He gave her a side glance again,'She is really pretty. With her long solf blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. What am I thinking, she is suppose to marry Andrew for crying out loud. I'm not suppose to like her. Damn what is wrong with me.' He tried small talk, but he isn't that real good at it. "Andrew told me you're in the retail bussiness."  
  
She looked at him and smiled, "Yeah, Mina and I own a shop called Mirror Images. It's kind of a pun on the idenical twin thing. We mainly carry decorating accessories: unusual mirrors mostly, but there are also pottery and sculptures, candleholders, carved bowes, and blown-glass pieces. Many of them are one-of-a-kind."  
  
Hearing the enthusiasum in her voice made him realize that her heart is really into her work. Andrew always said that no business is successful if the owner has no passion for it. 'Maybe Serena's passion for her work drew Andrew to her or maybe her smile. I know something is drawlying me to her.' Darien thought with a frown. He shock his head and said "How's business? Making a good profit?"  
  
'Oh now I get this small talk. He is trying to see if I'm a gold digger. Men.'  
  
"If you think I am involved with Andrew just for his money you are dead wrong. If anything happen between Andrew and I, I would never use his money to help my business. My sister and I are perfectly capable of handling our buisness on our own." She was frownig at him and wondering what made him distrust people so much.  
  
"I see."  
  
"You think I'm only interested in Adrew because he is rich. You got it all wrong."  
  
"I didn't say that."  
  
"No. But that is what you were thinking, isn't it?"  
  
He didn't answer. She turned and looked back out the window. From her posture he could tell she was mad. 'I guess I could apologies. But how would I do it I'm not really good at that. Man, this is a real long drive. But I really thought she was in it for the money. Most women are. Since Mina said that this was not a love match I guess I thought it was for the money. Guess I was wrong. I mean this isn't the frist time Andrew thought he was in love with a girl but once he pulled out the pre-nub she was out of there.'  
  
They had been on the road for over an hour when Darien realized that Serena was still stiff in her seat. Her hands were still laced so tight that her nails were digging in to her skin.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked looking over at her. "My driving isn't making you nervous is it?" He said to try and cheer her up. She turned her head to look at him.  
  
"No, your driving is fine. I'm not nervous at all."  
  
"You seem a little tense so I was just wondering if you were okay."  
  
She decided to try some small talk again. "Andrew told me you were out of the country for some months. In Italy I think he said."  
  
"Venice. I was there for three months."  
  
"It must have been nice there. I'd love to go there one day."  
  
"I was there for business not pleasure."  
  
"You must have done some sightseeing or something."  
  
"Not really. I was only suppose to be there for a couple weeks but things came up and I had to stay longer."  
  
She turned in her seat to look at him better. "You must have missed your family while you were there."  
  
He glanced at her and said, "I don't have any family. I had a lot of work piling up and I wanted to get back A.S.A.P to attend to it."  
  
The conversation ended there. Darien knew Andrew wanted him to keep Serena entertained so he tried to think of something to say about his trip. "The food there was good."  
  
She smiled. "I'm sure it was."  
  
"And the sunrises were nice," he added, "I had a balcony, and I would sit out there just to watch the sun rise."  
  
"That must have been wonderful to see every morning." She said with a big smile on her face. 'God, she is so pretty when she smiles like that.' "You know when you and Andrew get married then you will be able to travel a lot."  
  
"If we get married."  
  
"The gossip columnsits seem to think you guys are already engaged and picking out china patterns and kids names." 'Why wouldn't anyone want to marry a multimillionair. He could give her everything she wanted. Why does it piss me off to think that they could marry.'  
  
"Well we're not. That is what we are doing this for to figure out this week. To see if we can get married. That is one thing I'll never get used to, being in the gossip columns" 'Why am I trying so hard to convince him that there is no engagement between Andrew and I. I mean he doesn't even like me.'  
  
"You better get used to it. That is what comes with being involed with a man like Andrew. He always seems to draw attention. Everything he does makes the papers." 'It's mainly his money that attracks the attention of the papers, and the women. It helps that he is good looking. I guess that is why she is so in to him. His money and his good looks. He did make the Most Eligible Bachelor list in North America.'  
  
Andrew's intrest in Serena was one of the reasons he asked Darien to take her today. Some one told the tabloids that they were dating and that has really upset Andrew.  
  
"One of those so-called reporters called me Selen and others have said that it was Mina dating Andrew and not me,"she smiled slightly, "Mina had a fit when she found that out."  
  
Darien chuckled and thought about it, "She seems like one who would take it to heart. The way she was talking earlier I bet she wanted to make some heads roll."  
  
Serena laughed at that. "You got that right! She didn't like having her named linked with Andrews."  
  
Darien looked over at Serena, "Why doesn't she like Andrew. Is it 'cause she is jealous that she didn't nail the millionair?"  
  
Serena looked shocked and pissed, "Hell no, it isn't Andrew. She is just worried that I'm making a mistake that's all," she says with a glare, "Mina has a little trouble trusting people, especially rich, powerful men. She thinks that if we get married that I'll windup bitter and unfeeling. Unlike some people my sister knows I want more from marriage then finacial sercurity and help with my business. She doesn't seem to think I can get that with Andrew."  
  
"Why's that?" Darien looked back at the road.  
  
"She thinks that I'm being played for a fool. That he is just using me and has no intention of marrying me."  
  
Darien got mad and said," When Andrew says he'll do something he'll do it."  
  
She looked at him from the courner of her eye, "You're very loyal to him."  
  
'She doesn't understand how much I owe Andrew. And it is non of her damn business I won't answer.' They fell quite again. Darien had run out of things to say to her and she ran out of things to tell but she seemed to have relaxed a bit so it was good. 'I guess I can't blame her for keeping quite.'  
  
Thats is the end of chapter 1. I hope you liked it. I worked a long time to get this done. At last it's done now I have like a lot more to write. (not). Well lets see where Serena's and Darien's adventure takes them. Later Moon Baby 


	3. Chapter 2

Kidnapped By: Moon Baby Rating: PG E-mail: MoonBabyGirl16@yahoo.com  
  
Authors Note: Two hour later. They'er still on the road. In northern Louissiana real close to Arkansas. Still in silence. There is a lot of thinking going on in the first part of this chapter. Serena's trying to make sure this is the right thing to do.  
  
Disclaimer: Same old same old........I don't own Sailor Moon.......yada yada.....blah blah.....you know the deal.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Darien saw a small store and gas station. He said, "We're a little past the half way point of our trip. Do you want a cold drink or a snack?"  
  
"That sounds great."  
  
He put pn the turn signal, adn glanced at the review mirror as he did so. A pickup that was right on his back bumper, followed by a green soccer-mom van put on their turn signals. No big surprise sincee there wasn't a gas station for several miles.  
  
His tank wa smore than half full, so he drove into the only parking available on the side of the small store. As he turned off the emgine Darien felt a small chill go down his spine. he learned a long time ago to trust feelings like that. When he opened the door he glanced around the shadows. Everything looked normal. There were a few older-model cars, several mud covered pickup trucks, and the soccer-mom van that was parked at one of the gas pumbs. Serena looked at him suspusously, "Are you suposse to be my bodygaurd, too"  
  
He wipped his head around, his crystal blue eyes narrowing, "I'm not a bodygaurd. Why would you ask that?"  
  
"Well, the way you checked around the area. It's like what the Hollywood version of a secret service agent." She chuckled.  
  
He frowned and asked, "Do you want to go in or not?"  
  
She reached for the door and said, "I'll go in."  
  
Darien kept close to her side as they walked through the shadows. When they entered the store Serena looked over at him and pointed to the restroom. "If your'll excuse me, I'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
Darien nodded and watch her walk to the restrooms. When she was gone from his sight he turned to the coolers with the sodas. (AN: I dont know what they're really called sorry.) But his gaze traveled to the restrooms. 'Why am I so antsy all of the sudden. I guess all this is a little weird. Andrew should really be herewith her. If only there wasn't that trrouble in New York he would be. But there was and he asked me to make sure Serena got there safe and sound. At least in a couple of hours Andrew would take over and I could go home and go back to my work.' He couldn't understand why he got a sinking feeling at the thought.  
  
Serena joined him then and got out a diet cola and he got a regular cola. When they reached the register Serena started to get come money when Darien said "I got it."  
  
'I shouldn't let him pay for me.' But the he gave her kept her from voicing that thought. He paid for the drinks and walked outside. A cloud passed in front of the sun. Putting the parking lot in more shadow, and making the breeze around them colder. Again Darien found himself moving closer to Serena and looking around the lot suspisously.  
  
Serena looked at himcuriously, "Is something wrong? Why are you all tense and alert again?"  
  
'I'm being foolish. This wasn't one of the rare time I have to watch every step I take and watch the shadows. Or think everyone is trying to get me. I'm babysitting Andrew's girlfriend till he gets here. Not something I really want to do but it's not dangerous. I should really relax. I might take a vacation.' They got into the car and left.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Serena kept catching herself looking at Darien. She was a little upset that he put on the dark sunglasses. 'His face was hard to read before now it is near impossible. He would be happy if we kept the remainder of this trip in silence. He had tried small talk and wasn't very good at it.' She closed her eyes for a moment and thought, 'I shouldn't take it personally. I bet he is like this with everybody. I do find it hard to believe, though, that charming, congrenial Andrew Falcon's closest friend has the personality of granit. I never had any trouble talking with Andrew. In fact, it seemslike we are old friends from the very first time we met.' To her Andrew felt more like an old friend more than a lover or later husband.  
  
'I'm hoping to get over it this week. I mena he is hamdsome, intelligant, amusing, and attentive. Everything a woman could want. I'm hoping once we are awat from the publics eye our relationship will progress to more. Remember I'm not looking for blazing passion. I gave up on that years ago. I knowe I'm not desperately in love, nor blindingly adored in return. I can be happy with muteral respect and affection, plus most of all children. God I want to have a baby so bad. And Andrew wants the samething. I can't understand why Mina os so disapproving. I mean I'm getting everything I ever wanted, right? As for Darien,' she turned to look at him again, 'He made his feelings abouthtis well known. Did he really think I'm some gold digger, or is he like Mina, completely turned off by the arrangement that we are coming up with? He thinks Andrew is the one being used. If that is true I won't waste my time trying to change his opinion.'  
  
"How much farther is it to the house?"  
  
"About an hour."  
  
Serena nodded and adjustedd herself in her seat. "Is Andrew going to be therewhen we get there?"  
  
"He might. He wants to get there when we do or an hour or so after if he gets held up again."  
  
"Will you be staying there, ,too?"  
  
He looked at her from the courner of his eye. "Don't worry I won't ruin your get away. As soon as you and Amdrew get seattled in I'm leaving."  
  
She turned away embarresed by what he said and had no clue why. 'She looks so cute with that little bit of pink in her checks. Wait what am I thinking.'  
  
'I shouldn't be embarressed by what he said. I'm a mature adult. I don't owe Darien, Mina, or anyone eles an explaination for my actions. This week was for talking only. There will be nothing really serious going on. That was the main reason for this retreat. But Mina's convinced that he is going to pressure me into sleeping with him. I know Andrew is not like that, he is a good man.  
  
***Flashback***  
  
"Serena he is just using you and whe he gets tired he'll leave you."  
  
"Andrew is not like that. He is a better man than that peice of shit Ken."  
  
"He might and then he might not be. I think it is just a scam to get what he wants from you then move on for a big boobed starlet."  
  
"I know he is not like that."  
  
***End Of Flashback***  
  
'I bet Darien thinks the same thing except that I'm the one using Andrew.' She was glad to be distracted from her thoughts when Darien turned off the highway to a winding lane that he said led to Andrew's Table Rock Lake vacation home. (AN: The geography my be a little off sorry about that.) 'The sooner this uncomfortable ride was oer the better.' Serena thought looking out her window. 'I think I prefer Andrew's easy-to-talk-to charm than Darien's brooding dissapproval.  
  
Darien made several more winding turns. it looked like he traveled several miles from anywhere. 'I'm being very trust worthy with this man. I'm going into no man's land with some one I haven't met before today. But Andrew said with Darien and I trust Andrew or I wounld be here, would I.'  
  
Serena expected Andrew's to be nice but nothing like what she saw. Looking like a lodge, the sprawling structure was builtof rock and redwood. Big windowsand roomy decks allowed for enjoying the surroundings. Thick woods rolling hills, and the glistening lake that is by behind the beautiful house, which was atop a tall bluff. Though it was tasteful and inviting there was no question that this placecd belonged to some one rich.  
  
"Looks like we arrived before Andrew," Darien says looking around and parcking. "He should be here soon. I'll help ypu get seattled."  
  
'Now that I'm here I'm a little nervous. Maybe it's because the is so much bigger than what I thought it would be that is making me nervous. Or maybe it was all the hours in the car with silent Darien. Or maybe it is the realizatiom at what I'm doing? This is not a dinner and a movie this is seven days and...nights. What am I thinking, nothing is going to happen. We are just talking about our future together.' All of Mina's lectures are coming back to her in full force. It wasn't Mina's bad warnings about Andrew not being sericous that was bothering her. It was that he might really be serious that is scaring her.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
She swallowed hard and said, "No, nothing's wrong."  
  
'Except that I want to go home. Now! As much as I want children, and as many times as I told myself that there are more sensible reasons to get married that love and passion.'  
  
Darien was studying her threw his dark glasses. "Change your mind about this week?"  
  
Serena lifted her chin and reached for the door handle. "Of course I haven't. I was just enjoying the beautiful view."  
  
He made a weird sound like he didn't believe her. Before she changed her mind she opened her door and got out. 'I hadn't comitted to Andrew yet and he promices not to pressure ma and I trust him. Who knows. Maybe I will fall in love int the next couple of days. Stranger things have happen.'  
  
'Serena isn't doing a good at hiding her surprise to Andrew's vacation home.' Darien was aware of the irony in his observation. 'This is the woman trying to dupe his friend into a marriage-for-money. I guess I was wrong or she sucks at acting.' Carrying her bags inside he saw her face as she took in the expencive decor. The luxurious guest suite Andrew had selected was at the farthest end from Andre's master suite. 'Andrew told me him and Serena planned to spend the week talking about the future. But I doubt that she'll remain in this room the whole week.  
  
"Is, um, something wrong?"  
  
Serena's voice made Darien realize that he was frozen in the doorway with his eyebrows lowed into in a heavy scowl.  
  
"Just wanted to make sure this room's okay with you before I put your stuff down."  
  
Serena looked around and gave him a shacky smile. "This is perfect."  
  
'She didn't look to happy about that.' "I'll just out these by the, um, bed."  
  
Serena nodded and held on tight to her tote bag. Darien put her things down and walked to the door and turned, "I'll leave you to get seattled."  
  
Darien went down stairsand got a drink out of the fidge. He downed a third of it when the phone rang. Out of habit he answered it. "Darien Cross."  
  
Without identifying homself Andrew asked, "I wasn't sure you made it yet. I called your cell but got no answer. Did you forget to turn it on?"  
  
He reached for his belt and smiled sheepishly. "I left it in the car."  
  
"Did you have any trouble getting there? Is the weather good?"  
  
'It's not like him to babble. Somethings wrong.' "Where are you, Andrew? How long will you be?"  
  
Andrew cleared his throat but didn't say anything. "Andrew? What's wrong?"  
  
"Something's come up, D.C......I'm not going to make it there today."  
  
"Damn it, your still in New York, aren't you?"  
  
"Ya, but D.C. the deal started to come undone. I have my handsful trying to keep it togther. This is the only time I could get away to call you. I'm hoping to slip away by early tomorrow evening."  
  
"What am I suppose to do with your girlfriend till oyu get here, leave her by herself?"  
  
"Do you think that's a good idea? I don't."  
  
Darien shock his head and sighed, "Damn it, Andrew."  
  
"D.C. I know you have things you'd rather do...."  
  
"Things I need to do. Work. Drew, isn't there anyway you can leave tonight and I could go there and take care of things?"  
  
"Sorry D.C. this isn't my choice. I would rather be there with Serena than here with Swift. I feel like a real heel for not being there. I hope she won't be mad at me."  
  
"I'm sure she'll get over it." Darien muttered. 'Andrew had a way of making women forgive him. Who am I kidding? He can even get me to forgive him. I should be pissed at being stuck and babysitting his girlfriend. But I can't be mad at him, damn him.'  
  
"So what ya think? Isn't she everything I told you she would be?"  
  
"Yeah, she's cool."  
  
Those words seemed to have echoed. It was several moments before Andrew spoke. "You have a problem with her?"  
  
"No, of couse I don't."  
  
"Okay spill it! I know something is up your butt. What is it?"  
  
'He knows me to well.' "Nothing is 'up my butt' as you put it. I was just wondering how I'm suppose to entertain her till you get here? She came here to see you not me."  
  
"Just be nice to her. Take her down to the lake, takw a boat ride, grill a couple of steaks, watch a DVD, or read a book. There are games you guys can play. I know you're not much of a board gane guy there are a lot of things to keep ya'll entertained."  
  
With a loud sigh Dairen gave in and said, "We'll find something to do."  
  
"I know you will. Despite yopur rough personaliy, you'll see what a thrill Serena is. She might have been nervous in the ride, knowing you. But once she getsused to you, you'll she how wonderfull she is. But remember she's mine."  
  
"Don't worry I won't ry anything with her. She's not my type anyways." 'I haven't forgotten for one minute that Serena was to marry my best friend and boss.'  
  
"I guess I better tell Serena I won't be there tonight."  
  
"She is seattling in her room. I'll get her for you."  
  
"Thanks D.C. I owe you."  
  
"Oh ya, you do," Darien said putting down the phone, "Big time."  
  
He walked up the stairs to Serena's room.  
  
Serena looked up when there was a knock at the door. "Yes?"  
  
"Andrew is on the phone in the kitchen. He wants to talk to you."  
  
"I'll be right out."  
  
"Okay, I'll be in my room if you need me." He walked down the hall.  
  
Serena walked down the stair to the kitchen and picked up the phone. "Hey Andrew."  
  
"Hey Sere. I have something to tell you."  
  
"Let me guess. You can't make it. It's okay."  
  
"I'm hoping to get there by tomorrow evening. I'll get therewhen I can, okay hon."  
  
Serena sighed and closed her eye. "Okay be nice to Darien till I get there." Andrew said with a chuckle.  
  
"I promise I will be nice." Serena said on a laugh.  
  
"I have to go. I'll call you when I can, okay."  
  
"Ya bye."  
  
"Bye Sere." Andrew said and hung up the phone.  
  
**********************************  
  
'I should have listen to Mina.' Wearing a soft pink short nightgown and matching robe. Serena stood outside ont the balcony of her room and looked out over the lake. 'It is such a beautiful night crystal clear, bright stars shining, and so is the nearly full moon. It's so pretty.' Her breath hung as she leaned against the railing and gazed in wonderment at the landscape. It was a night for romance. 'Here is this beautiful night and I'm alone. I wish I was home Mina warned me this was a bad. Iguess she was right. This seems like a bad idea. I hoped I would haev felt different about Andrew but he still feels like a friend.' Serena sighed.  
  
"Dreaming about anyone?" said a deep gruff voice making her jump.  
  
She looked over the balcony. "Darien?"  
  
Below her Darien stepped out from the shadows and into the light of the moon. He was in a black sweatshirt and tight black jeans, he looked like he prefured darkness to light.  
  
"What are you doing outsided?" 'I didn't know he was outside. I thought he was asleep in one of the bedrooms.'  
  
"Just walking around the grounds."  
  
"So security gaurd is in your job description,too?"  
  
He shrugged and changed the subject. "Couldn't sleep, could you?"  
  
She looked down at him leaning against the railing. "I guess I'm not that tired."  
  
"Want to take a walk?" he asked.  
  
She smiled and said, "Entertaining me isn't in your job descirptionm but thanks."  
  
"Ya it is. Andrew made me promise no to let you get bored till he gets here." 'I know with you here I'm entertained. Cross, stop thinking like that she is Andrew's.'  
  
Serena replied coolly and said, "I'm not bored at all." 'Andrew told me Darien took his job seriousely. I guess I'm his assignment.'  
  
"I think I'll go to bed now," she said moving away from the rail. "Night, see you in the morning."  
  
He nodded. "Night, call if you need something."  
  
"I'll be fine." 'I can't imagine needing something from him.' She went into her room and locked the balcony door. 'I should have listen to Mina.'  
  
Darien didn't need much sleep, but he got even less than usual tonight. He kept thid feeling that something was amiss, or that he should do something. Because his instincts were always right he tested the locks, potrolled the grounds, and found nothing wrong. 'I guess I'm just overreacting to the evening. I'll sure be glad when Andrew gets here. I should be glad but I'm not. After spending so much time with Serena I understand why Andrew is so attracted ti her. If Andrew hadn't claimed her I would make a move on her. But Andrew did have claim and I will never cross that line. And this marriage plan.....well I don't like it. Now I don't thinks she is marrying for money, but I really don't think she had deep feelings for Andrew. When she was talking about Andrew as if he was an old friend and not someone she is going to marry.'  
  
He didn't know wha ther motives were for marrying Andew. Money, security, or social connection. Whatever it was it sure wasn't for love. Andrew my say he wasn't looking for that sort of thing. Just like him, he was not falling for a woman.  
  
Shifting in the bed Darien usual uses when he is here. 'I should really mind mine own business when it comes to Andrew's matirmonial plans. What do I know about marriage anyway. My own parents thought they were in love when they married then they devorced and Andrew's parents can't stand each other. But they are still together and have an arrangement where they don't see eack other. If Andrew wanted something like that then I won't stop him. And he wouldn't let me.'  
  
Darien rolled over. 'Go to sleep and stop worrying about things I can't change.' Then he found himself thinking about how pretty Serena looked standing on the balcony. He feel asleep thinking about Serena.  
  
Finally. I'm done. This chapter. That was awhile. Well, lets review. Darien and Serena are attracted to each other, but don't want to do anything about it. Andrew is held up in New York. What will happen next. Review and find out. Moon Baby. E-mail comments 


	4. Chapter 3

Kidnapped By: Moon Baby Rating: PG E-mail: MoonBabyGirl16@yahoo.com  
  
Aurthor's Note: Okay this is the next day. Adrew is still not there and Serena and Darien aren't getting along that well. Sorry for anything misspelled, ect. I'm trying to catch it but it happens that I will miss it. Okay back to the story. School is starting so the updates will take a little long to do. Sorry People but I will update when I can.  
  
'I'm not in a good mood,' thought Darien. 'I didn't sleep well. I kept thinking about Serena on the balcony and how wonderful she looked in her night gown.' Serena got up early but Darien had already made coffee and breakfast. She couldn't tell what was wrong with him. Ever since she joined him in the kitchen he has done nothing but snarl at her.  
  
"I hope you like oatmeal. It's one of the only things I know how to make."  
  
"I do like oatmeal," Serena said looking at him warily.  
  
"Good."  
  
'I don't think he really said anything since.' She mused as they cleaned up. She looked at the clock. 'Not even 9 am, yet. This is going by slow.' "What time did Andrew say he would be here?"  
  
He looked grupier when she asked that. "He didn't really say. He is hoping to be here by the late afternoon, early evening."  
  
'It will seem like forever to wait that long. Well, I did bring along some books to read. But it seems rude to lock myself away. Maybe Darien would like that better. He won't have to entertain me if I do that.' After the cleaning up was finished Darien ran a hand through his hair and said, "It's a real nice day outside, even if it's cloudy. Why don't I show you around? Your going to be spending a lot of time here. This is Andrew's favorite getaway."  
  
'He keeps thinking that me and Andrew are getting married. He hasn't even asked me. Since Darien doesn't seem to care if we're engaged or not, I won't waste my breath correcting him.' She nodded. "I'd like that." She smiled.  
  
He looked at the thin blue shirt she was wearing. "Better grab a jacket. It's a little cool out." For some reason images from last night came to her mind. On the balcony her breath forming little white clouds. Darien coming out of the shadows looking at her. She took a step back at the memory than turned. "I'll be right back, okay?" 'At least it will give us somehting to do.' She pulled on a heavy demin jacket. Serena was growing very aware of Darien. 'Propely because we are confined to such tight quarters. First his car and now this house. I hope it will be better outside.'  
  
Darien was waiting at the back door when she joined him. 'He's not wearing a jacket. I guess he thinks his long sleeve black sweater will keep him warm. But boy does he look good in black. He likes that color. It suites him well. So dangerous and mysterious just like him.' She stepped outside in front of him. Looking at him through her lashes she thought, 'It's a good thing he didn't look like that yesterday when he picked me up. Over- protective Mina might have tried something like lock me in the closet to prevent me from coming.' As he said the air was a bit chilly, though not as cold as last night. The grounds were magnifacint. Rocks and wood mulch was used for a pathway through flower beds, trees and several inviting spots that offered breathtakingly beautiful landscape. Serena was so in awe by the wonderful landscape that she didn't was stepping. If Darien hadn't her arm she would have taken quite tumble. "Drop-off." he said gruffly.  
  
She looked down to find she was at the top of flagstone steps that were carved into the hill. The steps were set above the lake sum hundred feet below. "Does this go to the lake?"  
  
"Eventuarlly it does. It takes a bit of energy, especially coming back up, but Andrew and I go down there a lot when we're here. Want to go see?"  
  
She looked over the edge again. She never really liked heights. "How steep does it get?"  
  
Darien shrugged and anwsered, "Steep in some places but it's safe Andrew wouldn't have it if it wasn't."  
  
She believed that. Andrew pays close attention to details. "Then I'd like to go down to the lake."  
  
"Stay right there for a sec." Moving past her he walked down some steps then looked at her. "It's still a little damp. So be careful to watch your step."  
  
'He is so conscientious about me. Darien really takes his assignments seriously,' she thought and took a step down. She was glad she wore her sneackers to provifed the extra grip. For some reason, either the shoes, the scenery, or Darien being near, she felt real safe. There was so much wildlife, chipmunks, deer, rabbits, birds it was wonderful. There were two squirrels running around eachother trying to catch one another. Giggling at their playfulness she wasn't paying attention to where she stepped and nearly stumbled a little.  
  
Instanly Darien's arm was around her waist to steady her. "Thanks," she said shily and embarrassed by her kluztiness.(AN: I had to put a klutz attack in there somewhere it wouldn't have been the same.) "I guess I've been in town way to long. I can't even walk on rocks without slipping." She laughed at herself. 'She has a real nice laugh.' Darien didn't immediately let go of her. He kept a loose grip on her waist as they walked down the rest of the steps. "Did you grow up in New Orleans?"  
  
"No, I'm originally from Baton Rogue. Our parents still live there. Mina and I moved to New Orleans twelve years ago. We were right out of high school. We both worked days and attened night classes at Tulane. We earned our bussiness degrees and decided to open our own bussiness. Mirror Images opened ten months ago."  
  
It was more than he asked for. Maybe his gruffnesss made her babble. 'It's kinda nice knowing so much about her, though.' "You two shared an apartment for twelve years. Wow!"  
  
'I don't know if he finds it hard to believe that anyone could cohabit for that many years or that I could live with my sister that long. Mina didn't really make a good impression on Darien.' "Mina and I don't live together. At first we did. But we got our own places several years ago. She was there to...um...see me off."  
  
"Are you sure not to try and talk you out of going."  
  
She smiled wryly. "Yes, well...."  
  
Taking his arm from her waist he moved in front of her, Darien stepped over a boulder in the path and turned and held out his hand. "Careful it's slipppery."  
  
She hesitated a moment then put her hand in his. His fingers closed around her's giving her support as she walked over the boulder. 'He does have a competent air about him. I understand how Andrew came to depened on him so much.' When she reached the foot of the trail she realized the trip was well worth the effort. Driftwood littered a gravel beach was shaded by trees that leaned out ovwer the water. A private inlet sat a neat metal boathouse and a covered wooden deck with benches. "Oh, this is nice." Peering up the face of the bluff the back of the house was just visable. The sun glinted of the windows that over looked the lake. She turned and studied the boathouse and dock. "I guess Andrew keeps a boat here?"  
  
"Two acturally. A ski boat and a pontoon boat. Would you like to go for a ride?"  
  
"No, not now. Thanks."  
  
"Saving yourself for Andrew?"  
  
The double made her look at him in surprise. 'Had that been a lame attempt at a joke? If it was that was the first time I heard Darien try to make a joke. How am I supose to respond to it? If it was Andrew I would have had a similar come back. But with Darien.... I don't know how to untangle my tongue.'  
  
Darien didn't wait for a come back. He turnded and bent down and picked up pebble and sent it skipping over the lake's surface. "Impressive." She did a golf clap. "I could never get the hang of that. Mina, on the other hand, is the champ."  
  
"You can't skip rocks?" He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Nope. I've tried since I was six, and never got the hang of it. I can only get a sorry bounce or two. My dad thought I wasn't trying, but I really did. Then I gave up from sheer frustration," she said with a sigh.  
  
"Everyone can skip rocks." (AN: I can't skip rocks but some of my friends can and thats were this idea comes from.)  
  
"Not everyone. I can't." She shrugged. "Just never figured out how."  
  
"Everyone can skip rocks," he repeated and looked a the ground.  
  
"Not everyone," she said again.  
  
He bent and picked up several round, smooth, rocks. "Here try."  
  
"It's a lost cause Darien. I can't skip rocks."  
  
"Of course you can." He placed a rock in her hand.  
  
"Just skim it over the water"  
  
"Easier said than done," she mumbled, then tossed the rock. It sank with a splash.  
  
"You threw it inthe water, not aross it." Darien gave her another rock. "Think of the water as a solid and let the rock hit it at a glancing angle."  
  
"Sure no proplem," she said sarcaticly, and threw the rock. It sank. "Have I confinsed you I can't skip rocks."  
  
"You're not trying."  
  
She tapped her index finger to her chin and said, "Now where have I heard that before?"  
  
He gave her another rock. "Do it again. Remember you want to skip it not sink it."  
  
She threw it and it made an attempt to skip before it sank. Serena turned and looked at him. "I told you I can't-...."  
  
He closed her hand around the rock. "Try again," he insisted.  
  
Serena frowned at Darien a little. 'He made it his job to teach me how to skip a silly rock. He looks like he won't give up till I learn.' She suddenly had a mental picture of them being here all night she shook her head. "I really don't want to. I can't-...."  
  
She tripped over her words when Darien moved behind her and put his hand on hers. "Like this." He tilted her hand to a position he liked. "Bring you arm forward and throw the rock at this angle."  
  
Serena cleared her throat and said, "You won't give up till I learn, will you?"  
  
His gruff voice rumbled close to her ear. "It's a matter of making you believe you can do it," he whispared.  
  
"It's, um, not a real important skill to learn, Darien."  
  
He shrugged. "I don't like hearing people say 'I can't'."  
  
'There was something significant about that statement,' she mused. Tyring to distract herself from how close Darien stood, Serena thought about how something in his past made him stick with something till it was finished. But it wasn't wasn't helping much. She was to aware of the heat that seemed to radiate from him and the strength that eminated from his hand on hers. 'I'm spending to much time with this man.'  
  
Serena tossed the rock hoping it would skip and Darien would back up. It bounced once than sank.  
  
Sighing, Serena turned her head and looked at Darien to tell him to forget this. Her gaze locked with his cool blue eyes....Whatever she wanted to say vanished from her mind. With his arm practicly around her waist, she could feel his breath on her cheek as he leaned his head down. She was strongly attracted to Darien Cross and she could no longer deny it. She couldn't really say she liked him; but she was physically drawn to him and that worried her. She tried to tell herself that the attraction between was just because they are in close quaters, but she realized now that that is not true. She really did fall for every guy sahe spent time with. That is what makes this more confusing, for the second time in a short time she was intigued by a strange man. She licked her suddenly dry lips. "Uh..."  
  
Darien straighten and let go of her so abruptly she nearly fell on her butt. He backed up and put hios hand is his pockets. "Andrew should be the one to show you how to skip rocks."  
  
She gaped at him. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
He lifted his eyebrow. "Andrew is better at showing how to do things. He can explains it better. Properly by the end of the week you'll be skipping a rock half way across the lake."  
  
She gave him a fake smile. "Not likely."  
  
Pointing towards the path, he took another step back. "Ready to go."  
  
"Yeah. Andrew might be trying to call," she said hopefully. 'The sooner Andrew gets here the sooner Darien can leave.'  
  
"I have my cell. He'd call that if he doesn't get anyone at the house."  
  
She nodded and put her hand in front of her. "I'll follow you," 'And look at you great tight butt.'  
  
"You go first. In case you slip I'll catch you."  
  
She stepped in the path and said with a chuckle. "Still playing bodyguard, I see."  
  
"I told you I'm not a bodyguard." The gruffnerr in his voice was apperent.  
  
'Bodyguard seems to annoy him. Something about his past that upset him. I guess it is another thing I will never figure out about him.'  
  
She walked up the path so fast it is a wonder she didn't fall. She really had no intension of falling into Darien's arms. To her, the best thing she could do, rude or not, was to loock herself in her room with a book, and try to get Darien out of her mind. And while she tried to do that maybe she could figure out her true feelings for Andrew. She came to figure out her future with Andrew and found herself facinated by his best friend. There was something wrong with that picture. She should really think that about this before she made any comitment to anyone.  
  
It's really started to looks like Mina was right about this. She could hear her sister saying, "I told you so."  
  
****************************  
  
Darien stopped outside Serena's door his hand half raised to knock on her door. For some strange reason he couldn't bring himself to knock.  
  
After the way she raced up the path so fast he couldn't catch his breath. Then she locked herself in her room the rest of the morning. She said something about paper work to do. 'That's kind of weird. Since this was suppose to be a romantic getaway for her and Andrew. But I bet Anderw would have brought some work to. I guess those two are really two of a kind.' Scowling, Darien rapped on the door harder than he ment to.  
  
Serena opened the door quickly. "Yes?"  
  
"It's almost one. I thought you would be hungry."  
  
Surprised Serena said, "I didn't think it was that late. Did you eat already?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then you must be very hungry. You made breakfast so I'll make lunch."  
  
He made a sheepish smile. "Too late, I already did that. Does grilled chicken and veggies sound good to you?"  
  
"Sounds great," she smiled, "but you shouldn't have gone to the trouble. I didn't expect you to cook for me."  
  
He shrugged. "I have to eat anyway. I'll see you in the kitchen."  
  
"I'll wash my hands and be down in a minute."  
  
He really didn't mind making lunch. It gave something to do besides think about Serena. He turned and walked down the stairs towards the kitchen. The table was set and the food was on it when she joined him.  
  
"This looks wonderful," she said sitting down. "Since you cooked, I'll clean."  
  
'I'm not going to argue. If doing dishes made her feel like she is pulling her weight, I'm not stopping her.'  
  
"You're a wonderful cook," she said after a few bites.  
  
"As long as there is a grill and a microwave, I get by."  
  
Looking around the chef's dream kitchen atteched to a nook where they were eating. "You have that and more here."  
  
He looked around, too, "Andrew always has the best top-of-the-line things."  
  
"Does Andrew cook?"  
  
"He knows how to. He always pay for the survice but he believes everybody should have basic cooking, laundrey, and basic home and car maintenance skills."  
  
"Thats practical, if he suddenly bacame poor, at least he'll be able to take care of himself."  
  
Darien knew she was kidding. They both doubt that Andrew Falcon would ever have to be careful with money. Darien knew he would be there if that ever happened. He wasn't sure Serena was the same way. If this thing betwen them wasn't for love but for money then bankruptcy would put an end to that.  
  
When Darien didn't answer her, she changed the subject. "You told me about your trip to Italy. Have you had to travel a lot working with Andrew?"  
  
"Sometimes."  
  
"Do you enjoy it."  
  
"Work or travel?"  
  
"Either."  
  
"I enjoy the work. I travel because it's part of the job." She looked a little upset, than he remembered her telling him about her dream to travel. "I do like the travel," he felt like he should appologize for how he said that, "sometimes."  
  
He didn't seem to have confinced her, because she changed the subject agaun. "Have you worked with Andrew since you got out of college?"  
  
He took a bite out of his chicken. "I didn't go to college. Out of high school I joined the Army."  
  
"I didn't know that. Andew always said you were with him from the begining."  
  
"We stayed in touch while he went to college and I went in to the military. When he broke away from the family company and started Andrew Falcon Enterprise, he got me."  
  
"Were you in the Army, still?"  
  
"No, I was out for a while."  
  
"What did you do before you worked for Andrew?"  
  
"A little of this and a little of that." 'He doesn't really like to talk about his past.'  
  
He knew she was trying to make conversation, and trying to avoid the awkwardness between them. Lapses which they became tongue-tied, when their glances locked and held for long moments, before Serena looked away embarassed. He didn't think she was fighting the same inapproiate attraction he was, but he scenced she felt the attraction between them.  
  
'We have been spending way to much time together. It would be a hell of a lot better when Andrew arrives,' Darien thought  
  
Leaving Serena to clean, Darien went to the office he usually uses when he is here. He turned on the computer and spent an hour checking his e-mail. The phone rang, "Cross."  
  
"How's everything there?" Andrew said without bothering to identify himself.  
  
His voice brought Darien's eyes away from the moniter. "Tell me you'er on your way here."  
  
"Something wrong? You and Serena getting along okay?"  
  
"Yeah, but she didn't come here to see me she came here to see you. I bet she is wishong she stayed home."  
  
"What did you do today?"  
  
"Work. Parker in L.A. wants an answer by tomorrow and Conners got a proposal she wants us to see."  
  
"You can do that later. I want you to keep Serena entertained. I don't want her bored while I'm stuck in New York. If you make an effort I knwo you can entertain people. Try it, will you?"  
  
Darien's sigh vibrated through the phone. "I have better things to do than play babysitter to your du jour girlfriend while you're in New York."  
  
Before he finished what he said he looked at the door. Serena was standing there with a cup of coffee. The look on her face was expressionless. Darien knew she heard his crack. Her stance let him know she didn't like the remark. "Ah...."  
  
"Serena just walked in, didn't she?" Andrew said.  
  
Daien frowned. "Yeah."  
  
"Let me talk to her. And Dare, when you get your foot out of your mouth and appologize be nice to her, okay?"  
  
"Andrew wants to talk to you," he said and handed the phone to Serena.  
  
She nodded. "I brought you some fresh coffee."  
  
"Thanks, I'll let you talk to Andrew alone." After taking the mug from Serena, she turn her back to him.  
  
Wincing Darien walked out of the room. 'It's hard walking with both of your feet in your mouth.'  
  
Done at last!!!!! I bet your happy I updated it. As I said before school started so updates will take a while. But they will happen. And I might start another story. So hey it'll take a while. But please review adn tell me what you think so I know if I should write another story. Lets Reveiw. Darien made a real ass of himself and almost kissed Serena. It's getting good. Moon Baby. E-mail me and tell me what you think. 


	5. Chapter 4

Kidnapped By: Moon Baby Rating: PG E-mail: MoonBabyGirl16@yahoo.com  
  
Aurthor's Note: Wow that was a while. I've been really busy. But I haven't forgot about ya'll. I hope I get a few more reveiw though. I get the impression I'm not good at this. Anyways, recap. Darien likes Serena, he almost kissed her. Andrew still isn't there. I think I'll put a little excitement in this chapter. *smile*  
  
Serena knew Darien left the room even though she didn't see him leave. She could sence he left. "Hey Andrew."  
  
"I see you're still specking to me," he said sheepishly.  
  
"I know you couldn't help what's happening."  
  
"Believe me, I've done everything to hurry this up and get there as fast as I can to be with you." 'He is so sweet.' Serena smiled. "But unfortunetly it's taking longer than I thought it would. I am so very very sorry."  
  
"Guess you won't be here tonight, will you?"  
  
"I believe I can get away this evening and be there late tonight. We can start our vacation early tomorrow."  
  
As the words came over the phone line to her ear a dark cloud covered the sun. She had some sort of premonition about something bad that is going to happen. 'Maybe since the week started bad it seems like it'll get worse.' She had a sudden feeling to tell Andrew to stay in New York. But she bit her tougne.  
  
Serena always believed that if something bad keeps happening then it wasn't meant to be. 'Mina had said that I was making a big mistake going on this retreat. And one bad thing after another kept happening. Andrew getting held up in New York, her sudden attraction to Darien, and almost kissing him.....Hold up. Where did that come from? I didn't try to kiss him. Anyways he thinks I'm a gold digger.' Things were going very wrong.  
  
It was only her hesitation to ask Dariern to take her home. Her reluctance to look wimpy or petalant to him that kept her here and not cancel everything.  
  
"Serena? About Darien," Andrew said as if he knew what she had been thinking.  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"Don't let what the said bother you. He doesn't mean to come across as a jerk."  
  
"Are you telling me his bark is worse than his bite?" she said in mock astonishment.  
  
Anderw chuckled softly. "No, I'm not trying to tell you that. He doesn't bite........Often. And never without provoction." His words didn't make her feel any better. She didn't want to seem ungracious to Darien especally since he is going out of his way to entertain her. But his comment about babysitting Andrew's 'girlfriend du jour' still hurt. She really didn't like the idea that that is how he thought of her.  
  
She and Andrew talked for a few more minutes, then Andrew had to go. "The sooner I get back to work the sooner I can get there to you." Serena hung up and looked at the door. She really didn't want to find Darien after the wise crack he said. 'I bet he'll try to apologize, then it'll get awkward and embarrassing. I hope to avoid that at all cost.'  
  
Serena got up and looked for Darien. She found him in the kitchen rincing out the mug he used. He looked up as if he senced her in the kitchen. "Thanks for the coffee. It was good."  
  
"I was making me some anyways so I thought you would like a cup."  
  
"Thanks just the same." He put his mug in the dishwasher and turned to look at her. Ready for an awkward apology, she was surprised when he said, "I'm going to town for awhile to pick up some stuff. Wanna come?"  
  
'I so want to get out of this house. But the comment still hurt. "I'm sure you'd prefur to be by yourself. I have some work to do. That'll keep me entertained while you're gone."  
  
"Actually, I'd prefur you come, if you don't mind. See, I have to buy groceries, and it'll be easier if you'er there so I can get stuff you like."  
  
'If this is his idea of apologizing or a truce he's nuts. But Darien is not like any man she knows.' She still was upset about his crack. And she bet Darien still thought she was only in it for the money. But he had given up two days to be here with her while Andrew is in New York. He cooked and even tried to teach her how to skip rocks even though backed fired. The least she could do was acompony him to town.  
  
She replied a bit cool. 'Cause she wasn't going to forget the crack that easily. "Fine, I'll come. Let me grap my purse."  
  
She could feel him watching her as she left the room. She intened to make it clear to him she was capable of taking care of herself. She didn't need a 'babysitter' and she didn't want one.  
  
Darien was glad Serena agreed to acompony him. He concluded it might be easier to control his thoughts of her if they were around people.  
  
He probably should have apologized for his comment. He knew that it upset her. But damn it, that is wha the felt like, or he felt like a bodygaurd and he didn't like that any better.  
  
He didn't know what was up with him today, well actually since yesterday. Specifically when they left her apartment. First he senced something was about to happen, for no reason, then his growing attraction to Serena. 'That has to stop. I will not lust after Andrew's girl.'  
  
It wasn't hard for Darien not to notice Serena's attributes. She was attractive, make that stunningly beautiful. Darien was only a man. They have been spending too much time together. He could still feel her body pressed against his when he tried to teach her how to skip rocks. It seemed safe enough at the time and she considered it fun. But he realized his mistake.  
  
'Standing so close to her. Seeing her wrinkle her cute little nose when the rock sank. Hearing her chuckle when it sank..... She's way to appealing to me. If it had just been the two of us without Andrew in the picture I would have kissd her. Long and hard. I really doubt I would have stopped at kissing her. I would have.....' He put a hault to that train of thought before it left the station. 'I really think Andrew is thinking with the wrong part of his anatomy. (AN: My guy friend told me this quote, 'God gave man two brians but only enough blood to use one at a time.' I believe that is really true.) Not that I blame Andrew.' He watched the slight sway of Serena's hips as she left to get her purse.  
  
To his annoyance the bothering feeling that something was wrong increased as he slid behind the wheel of his car. Automacticly he scanned the grounds for something out of place. He saw nothing amiss and just thought that he was being paraniod again. 'I think I need a vacation. I haven't taken one in years.'  
  
During the twenty-minute ride to town, he tried to ignore the feeling that something is wrong. There wasn't much traffic but he chucked out every old pick up and saden that passed by as he entered town.  
  
Shaking his head he asked, "Ya in the mood for something sweet?"  
  
She looked at him and blinked. "Excuse me?"  
  
He smiled at her. "There's a diner here that has the best pies I ever tasted. And I have tasted a lot of pies. Want some before we go shopping?"  
  
"Sure. Sounds good."  
  
He nodded and turned right at the light. The diner was fairly empty because it was mid afternoon, too late for luncha nd too early for dinner. Only a couple of cars and trucks were in the parking lot, which was shaded by the building and several large trees. It was warmer now than it was earlier, but as he pulled into a deeply shaded space, a chill went throught Darien. Unware Darien rubbed the back of his neck. 'Am I losing it?'  
  
"Is your neck bothering you?" Serena asked a while later across from him at a table.  
  
He realized that he was still rubbing his neck to make the annoying itch go way. "Yeah it is." He saw no need to explain.  
  
"I have some ibuprofen if you think that would help?"  
  
"It wouldn't, but thanks," he said coolly.  
  
A beautiful waitress with cool green eyes and a devilish smile came to their table. "Hey Darien. It's been a while."  
  
He returned her smile. "Hey Lita. It's good to see you."  
  
"You too, Andrew's not with you?" she said a little upset at Andrew's appcence.  
  
"He'll be here later. But I'm sure you will see him soon. He'll be wanting some pie."  
  
Lita laughed softly. "He does love our chocolate-chip pecan pie. If he could he would eat it everyday."  
  
"That's for sure." Darien nodded at Serena, "Lita meet Serena Pennington."  
  
"I've seen your picture in the paper," she said and shook Serena's hand "You're Andrew's fiancee, right?" she asked with a little edge in her voice. 'I guess seh really likes Andrew.' Serena thought.  
  
"I told my Mamma you were a blonde. The picture we saw wasn't real good. She thought it was red. I told her Andrew wouldn't date another red-head after that Rita something-or-other. Mamma never understood what he saw-."  
  
Darien cleared his throat to cut Lita off. He saw how dazed Serena looked, he was accustomed to Liat's rambeling. It's her mother that makes the pies both of the guys love. The gossip was a small price to pay for the best tasting pies in the world. "I'm having a coffee and a coconut pie, and have you decided what you want?" He looked at Serena.  
  
Serena looked up and said, "I'll have the chocolate cream pie."  
  
"You want coffee, too?" Lita switched from gossip to business in the blink of an eye.  
  
"Do you have chocolate milkshakes?" Serena asked.  
  
"Yes we do."  
  
"Great I'll have one." Serena smiled. (AN: Can you blame me? Lita always had a thing for Andrew. And Serena does love chocolate milkshakes.) Lita turned and left. Darien had a wierd look on his face. "What?! I love chocolate."  
  
"Hey what ever floats you boat. I guess I should have warned you about Lita. She tends to get carried away. She knows everybody's business."  
  
Serena smiled. "Yeah, she does."  
  
"Don't let her bother you she means well."  
  
"She seems nice."  
  
Darien smiled. "She is."  
  
Lita returned with thier drinks and two huge slices of pie. She wanted to stay and chat but the phone rang and she had to get it.  
  
"You'er right this is delisous," Serena said after a couple of bites.  
  
"I knew you'd like it."  
  
Darien tried ot make conversation but he didn't know how. So he mainly consintrated on his pie and coffee. Unfortuantly the itch on the back of his neck didn't go away. Darien was well aware of Lita kept giving him weird looks as if to say, "Why are you here with her and Andrew isn't here? Why are you guys so quite?" but she stayed away. 'I guess she understands I don't want to talk.' There were on other custormers there when they paid their bill. Lita took his money. "Ya'll come back now ya hear," she said in her best Dolly Parton voice.  
  
"The store is a couple of blocks away, " he said as they left the diner. "If you want anything feel free to say so."  
  
"I would like some fresh fruit," she said, "And tea, oonlong or Ceylon, if possible. As long as it's not Earl Gray. I can't stand the blend." (AN: I don't really know tea brands. So don't sue me.)  
  
Darien never really notice tea brands. He mainly drank coffee. "We'll see what they have." They were at his car.  
  
She started for the handle but he beat her and opened the door for her. 'Is he trying to be a gentleman or badygaurd?' Scanning the grounds around the lot. "Your doing it again," she said on a chuckle. "Acting like your my badygaurd, as if I'm in danger."  
  
He hesitated then shrugged, he knew it would do no good to deny he was on the alert. He tried ot come up with an explanation. "Your involved with a very wealthy and powerful man. Don't want annoyaning paparazzi around." It was the best he could come up with.  
  
"Paparazzi?" She laughed. "I doubt I interset them."  
  
"You might be surprised what interset them," he said noticing the way dimples appear at the corner of her mouth when she laughed.  
  
She patted him on the arm when they reached his car. "I think it's sweet that you're taking care of me," she said in a teasing voice.  
  
He surprised her, and himself, by smiling and pretending to touch the brim of a cowboy hat and said, "Just doin my job ma'am."  
  
"I'll be sure to tell your boss to put a commandation on your file."  
  
"You do that." He opened her door, his faint smile dissappeared at the mention of 'his boss.' 'He should be here teasing her not me.' As he went around the back of te car towards his door, an image of her smile stayed with him.  
  
Despite his warning feelings, the attack caught him off gaurd. Maybe it was he was at his door, or because he convinsed himself he had nothing to really worry about. He should have known better.  
  
His instincts have always been right on target. They'd only let him down once before, and that had been a real diaster.  
  
Something cold and sharp hit the back of his neck. A big, solid guy pushed him against the car, pinning him there so tightly he could barely breathing.  
  
Darien wasn't a small mna by any means. He is six-foot five, one hundred and seventy-five pounds, he was a big guy. But whoever was behind him was much bigger. Even then, Darien might have had a fighting chance, he'd been well trained in hand-to-hand compat in the Army, but whatever was injected in his neck was taking effect. His legs started to shake, and he was slipping down. If the man wasn't man holding him up he would have crumpled on the ground.  
  
He heard a big car pull up beside his car, a sliding door opened. "Serena," he said, but it came out in a wishper. 'Lock the doors, blow the horn, scream, breack a window, do anything,' he wanted to yell but he passed out before the words left his mouth.  
  
Shouls I end it there.....Yeah. That's the end of the chapter I know, I know I'm evil. But I have to have some suspence. Let's recap, shall we. Serena's a little mad at Darien, Andrew's going to be there tonight, and Serena and Darien get kidnapped, any idea by who???? Oh the wonder. Moon Baby. 


	6. Chapter 5

Kidnapped By: Moon Baby Rating: PG E-mail: MoonBabyGirl16@yahoo.com  
  
Authors Note: Don't ya just hate me. I'm real sorry it took so long. I'll try and make the next one faster, but school and all....  
  
"Darien? Wake up. Please wake up," Serena said quietly, but urgently, trying to get passed the drug-induced unconscious state he'd been in ever since they were kidnapped. She was worried something was wrong because he'd been out so long and his breathing was so shallow. 'What if the bastards had given him an overdose of whatever drug they used? What if he never wakes up?' She risked talking a little louder. "Can you hear me Darien?"  
  
He was on his back on a white mattress. Both of his arms were stretched and locked above his head by a pair of handcuffs on the iron bars of the head board. Serena was on her knees beside him. Handcuffs were on her,too. One was on her right wrist while the other was on the head board. The handcuffs felt cold and heavy on her wrist.  
  
She didn't have a watch on and Darien's had been taken. So she did know how long it's been since they'd been taken. Panic was building inside her with each passing second.  
  
Hearing a noise from somewhere in the house Serena tried to get him to talk to her. "Open your eyes. Please Darien." She near tears.  
  
A low rumble deep in his chest, a cross between a growl and a groan, she decided. But whatever it was she never her a more wonderful sound. 'Good, he is alive. I was so worried.' She put her hand on his chest. "Darien?"  
  
He opened his bloodshot eyes a little, immediately focusing on her. His voice was husky when he asked, "Where are we?"  
  
'It seems like he is almost fully awake. No apparent confusion or disorientation. The drug must have worn off. Thank God.' "I have no idea. We got here in a minivan with black paint covering the windows, I couldn't really see out."  
  
"How long have I been out for?"  
  
"I'm not real sure. It seems like hours. We were on the road a real long time and we've been here just as long it seems."  
  
He tested the cuffs by banging them on the head board as he asked, "Smooth roads or rough?"  
  
"Rough like gravel. A lot of hills and turns."  
  
He nodded and looked around the room. There was a window on the other side of the room. It had a dark curtain on it so no one could look out. The bed was in the middle of the room pushed up against the back wall. The door was on the opposite side of the window. 'Darien is still a little pale and he doesn't look quite right. But he won't give in to an side effects he might still have. He seems fully focussed on assessing our situation and finding a way out of it. A bodyguard till the end.'  
  
After taken a thorough investigation of the room he turned and looked at her. "They didn't hurt you." It wasn't a question. 'I guess he came up with that after he looked at me. Typical, his first thoughts were business.'  
  
"No, they didn't hurt me."  
  
"How many were there?"  
  
She shuddered as she thought about what happened. "Three. Two of them got you, while the other ripped the car door out of my hand before I could lock it. It all happened so fast. Before I really know what was going on."  
  
"Did anyone see what happened?"  
  
"Not that I could see. We parked in deep shadow and a van pulled up next to your car. That blocked the view of anyone passing by. They moved so fast...."  
  
"Did you try and scream, or get someone's attention?"  
  
"They said they'd kill you if I didn't corroborate. You were unconscious and a big guy was holding a gun to your head. I couldn't risk you life like that," she said and he could hear the fear in her voice.  
  
"He raised an eyebrow. "You just got into the van? Just like that?" he couldn't hide the shock in his voice.  
  
"Yes, they would have killed you if I didn't!!"  
  
"Did you see their faces?"  
  
"They didn't try and hide them."  
  
A frown flashed on his face. After a moment he ordered, "Tell me everything they said. Even if it was God Bless You."  
  
"They really didn't say much. The whole thing seemed carefully planned. They didn't discuss much. I tried to find out what they wanted, but ignored me or told me to shut up. I was in the back withy our head on my lap, and a gun pointed at me. Why did they take us?" Closing her eyes she shuddered.  
  
'I wonder how she managed to keep her voice so steady despite the terror I see in her beautiful face. Man, I wish I was awake when my head was on her lap.' He could just see his head on her lap. "I think it's obvious why they took us."  
  
"It is?"  
  
"Serena your name and your picture has been seen in the paper with Andrew. The gossip you two married and picking out baby names. Even Lita knew who you are. And I am Andrew's best friend and closest business partner. This is simple kidnapping and ransom job."  
  
'He's confirming what I was already afraid of. I knew there were risks being involved with Andrew, even before Darien pointed then out during the past couple of days, but I guess I considered it. But Andrew hadn't made that mistake. He sent Darien to make sure I got to the lake house safe and sound.' "Did you and Andrew think something like this was going to happen?" 'Maybe that is why Darien is with me?'  
  
"Of course we didn't," he said shock that she would even ask that. "We didn't have a clue this was going to happen. If I had, do you think I would have been so careless with your safety?"  
  
Hearing self-crimination in his voice she shook her head. "You weren't careless. You were always on the alert. I even teased you about being a bodyguard. This isn't your fault."  
  
"Yeah, some bodyguard I turned out to be," he said irritated with himself.  
  
'He is blaming himself.' Serena made another effort to make him understand. "It all happened so fast. It was planned and well executed. They had us before we could really react. And you said yourself you guys had no clue this was going to happen." She could tell he found little to no comfort in what she said.  
  
They heard another sound, a muffled sound like a door slamming shut. Then a car starting and leaving. "Do you think they're leaving us alone here?" Serena asked looking at the door. She wasn't sure she was sure she was upset or relived of their kidnappers had abandoned them. 'How long will it be before we die of dehydration? But they wouldn't let us die, or the would have killed us already, right? They'd been rough but neither of us had been really hurt.'  
  
Darien didn't seem to concerned about being about the possibility of being stranded when he muttered, "We should be so lucky."  
  
She swallowed. "What do you think will happen to us now?"  
  
"They'll probably wait a few hours to make sure we're missed, then they'll contact Andrew. Tell him something like if he doesn't pay a curtain amount of money and if he doesn't contacts the authorities we'll be unharmed. Then offer him a deal for our return."  
  
"What do you think Andrew will say to them?"  
  
Darien's mouth twisted into an odd half smile. "What he'll say properly shouldn't be repeated in mix company. After that he'll negotiate."  
  
"Will he call the police?"  
  
After looking at the door, Darien just shrugged.  
  
'Was he worried that we were being watched?' Biting her lip, Serena took a quick look around the room looking for something that may look like a microphone pr a camera. She saw nothing like that, but she wouldn't know what that would look like. She suspected that Darien was more experienced with this kind of thing.  
  
He shifted on the mattress, making her remember she still had her hand on his chest. She knew she should take it away but she couldn't bring herself to move it. To her it was reassuring to feel the warmth from his chest.  
  
Without thinking. she lifted her right hand to brush her hair behind her ear. Rattling loudly against the headboard. "Damn." Her hand fell to her side.  
  
Darien looked at her. "Your hair was up this morning."  
  
"They took out my hairpins, took my purse, your watch, everything in our pockets, our belts, and our shoes." She shivered as she remembered the pat- down she had to go though while the biggest of the kidnappers held her arms behind her. His hold was so tight tears swelled in her eyes.  
  
"They seemed to have covered all the basics."  
  
She looked at the hand cuff. "They actually thought we could use hairpins to pick he locks."  
  
Darien did a semi-shrug. "They might have been right."  
  
She quickly shot her head up and looked at him. "You could pick could do that? Pick a lock?"  
  
"I could damn well try."  
  
"Well....." She reached into the pocket of her light blue shirt, fumbled for a moment, then pulled out a hairpin, which she showed him.  
  
Darien raised his eyebrow. "Do you always keep hairpins in you shirt?"  
  
"I do when I wear my hair up. See, my hair is real fine and tends to come out of the ponytail. I usually keep extra hairpins in case that happens. I had this one in my pocket. It fell in the seam, that must have kept the guy who pat me down from finding it."  
  
He opened his right hand. "Give it to me, please."  
  
She gave it to him and frowned when he put it in his hair. 'I thought he was going to use it.'  
  
"Can you see it?" he asked.  
  
It was completely hidden in his thick black hair. "No, but aren't you going to try it on the cuffs?"  
  
"I'll try when I think it's safe to do so."  
  
"When's that going to be?"  
  
He looked at the window. "Later."  
  
'Why is he looking out the dirty window? Why wasn't he trying to pick the lock? Was he waiting for night time? How long till then? It was about four- thirty when we left the dinner. I guess we were in that van for an hour or so. And I think another half hour passed before Darien woke up. It should be dark soon.' She wasn't sure she could sit there much longer wearing the heavy cuff. It was worse for Darien because he was on his back with his hands cuffed above his head. "Maybe we should do it now while we're alone. Maybe they think you are still unconscious, we could go out through the window before they realize what's happening."  
  
"Maybe someone will come in while I'm working and find the pin and take it. I never said I could pick a lock. I said, 'I could damn well try,' and it would take a while."  
  
She knew he had a point, and acknowledged the need for caution, but she hated the idea of spending a long time here. In frustration, Serena tugged at the cuff on her wrist, growing claustrophobic in the restraint. The only thing accomplished was a loud noise of steel against iron, and pain in her wrist.  
  
"Serena relax."  
  
"Relax?!!" She thought he was nuts. She looked at his impassive face in disbelief. "How am I suppose to relax?"  
  
"We aren't hurt. We're left alone. There is no reason for you to panic," he said calmly.  
  
"Yet," she said in a matter-of-factly voice.  
  
"Don't let your imagination get the better of you. No threats have been made to us. They are common thugs trying to make some quick money. Criminal types aren't really all that smart, they make mistakes. When they make one with us we'll take advantage of it."  
  
"How do you know they'll make a mistake? How do you know they aren't going to take the money and kill us. They let me see their faces, for crying out loud," she was raising her voice, and she had a slight tremor. Serena couldn't hide her fear, especially with Darien acting like nothing was wrong. He was so calmed and in control. But when she looked into his eyes she saw he wasn't in control. His usual cool blue eyes were now dark sapphires, glazed with anger. So hot she could almost feel the heat. His face looked so calm but she could tell he was pissed.  
  
"They aren't going to hurt you," he promised, his voice a low deep growl.  
  
She sat back to study him for a moment. Under her hand, (ya it's still there) his heart beat steadily, but a little faster now. Stronger. "Tell me what you need me to do." She just put her life in his hands.  
  
He smiled. "Stay calm, let me handle everything."  
  
Her eyes locked with his. "Thank you," she whispered  
  
He was the first to look away. "Andrew is counting on me to keep you safe and that's what I'm going to do," he said gruffly.  
  
"I believe this is more than you asked for when you signed up for this 'baby sitting' job."  
  
'Busted,' he thought. "I didn't expect this to happen. If I had, none of this would have happened. Um... About the baby sitting crack, don't take it personally."  
  
Looking at the uncomfortable position he was in and the dark circles under is eyes, she knew she couldn't be mad at him. "Don't worry about it. I'm guessing you were aggravated you were kept from your work," she said to brush the crack off.  
  
"That's one way of looking at it," he muttered.  
  
Before she could say anything else, the door opened. Instinctively, Serena moved closer to Darien, she really couldn't have said why, though. The man was the smallest of the three. Darked-haired and matching darked-eyes, walked close to them and spoke with a smoker's rasp, "Ya'll need anything. Water?"  
  
"The keys to the cuffs would be nice," Darien said.  
  
"Let' snot waste time with shit like that."  
  
"I think giving me the key isn't shit when your safety is concerned."  
  
Though Serena knew Darien was going to do that but she really wished he wouldn't challenge their capture lie that. It wasn't like Darien couldn't protect himself in the current position he was in, at least that's what she thought. Fortunately, the other man wouldn't be baited. He looked at Serena and ignored Darien. "Are you comfortable? Can I get anything you might need?"  
  
"Comfortable?" She pulled the handcuff. "Not really."  
  
"Sorry about the cuffs, but I'm sure you can understand the need for them."  
  
Darien snorted. The other man gave him a quick look then looked back at Serena. "If you like, I could get you some water."  
  
"No." She almost added thank you, but bit it back. 'He doesn't disserve manners.'  
  
He nodded. "Fine, call if you need anything." He turned and left the room, closing the door. Darien muttered an expletive that drew Serena's attention and made her raise her eyebrow.  
  
"I'm kind of surprised you didn't ask him any questions. Like what they want, how long we're going to be here, what they plan to do next? Something like that."  
  
"I didn't have to." His gaze still locked on the door. "I know what's going on."  
  
She looked shocked. "You learned stuff from him just now?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
After a moment she asked, "Well?"  
  
"Find the hairpin, will you?" He didn't explain.  
  
"Darien...."  
  
"We'll talk later."  
  
Something in his tone gave her added confidence. Bitting her lip, she ran her left hand though his hair until she came across the hairpin. he grimaced a little when she pulled it out. "Did I pull you hair? I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't worry, put the in my right hand." She did that and sat and watched while he tried to pick the lock. He dropped hairpin once, he cursed while she desperately looked for it. She found it on the mattress under his hands. They both sighed when she gave it back to him. "If I could see what I'm doing....," he muttered to himself.  
  
"You've done this before? Pick a lock with a hairpin, I mean."  
  
"A couple of times, I guess." His concentration was focused on what he was doing.  
  
Serena had a feeling there was an interesting story in there, but realized that won't the time to ask. She didn't want to distract him for fear of him dropping the hairpin again. So she kept quite.  
  
She didn't know how long she sat there watching him, listening to him mutter curses beneath his breath. Once they heard a loud crash at the other end of the cabin, they both froze, their heads whipping to look at the door. A moment passed, then Darien went back to work.  
  
It started getting dark outside, their captors hadn't turned on any lights. The determined look in his eyes made him seem like cat's eyes in the gloom. The lock opened with a muted click. The sound was so quite Serena almost didn't realize the importance of it. When she did realize it she gasped in relief. "You got it?"  
  
He freed his left hand from the cuff, lowering it to his side and flexed his fist to get circulation threw his arm. The cuff was still on his right wrist, but he moved it from the bar and pushed himself in a sitting position, he swayed a little. Serena reached out to steady him, and for a few moments he leaned against her. "The sedative must not have completely worm off," she whispered, her free arm around his waist. "Are you okay?"  
  
"A little nauseous, but other than that yeah." Taking a deep breath. he straightened and reached for her wrist. "Let's see if I can open this one."  
  
Another sound in the house made her heart beat faster. "What will happen if someone comes in and catches us doing this?"  
  
"My hands are free, I'll won't be taken without a fight this time."  
  
"The guy that came in here had the gun earlier. What if he still has it on him?"  
  
Darien didn't answer, he bent his head closer to get a better look at the lock. Even though he had his hands free, but the cuff still dangled from his right wrist, and with her right in front of him, it took him a while to get her free. Serena began to worry that it was taking to long to get the cuff undone, and she was afraid that their captor might come back. She kept getting a picture of that man holding a gun to Darien's head while he was unconscious and vulnerable. She thought he would pill the trigger if she did one thing wrong, she still felt that he would still kill them now. Of the three men that kidnapped them, she thought, the small darker man wasn't incharge but was the most dangerous.' "Why don't you go without me," she urged in a whisper. Thinking their captors ears were pressed against the door. "You can go and get the police and come...."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere without you." He cut her off. His tone left no room for argument.  
  
She might have argued any way if the lock hadn't clicked at that moment. Relief coursed though her as he removed the cuff from her wrist. She shook her hand to get the blood flowing threw it. The cuff hadn't been real tight, ,but just haveing it on made it feel like it was squeezing her wrist.  
  
"You okay?" Darien asked with consern shining in his eyes.  
  
"Yes. I'm fine, thank you. What do we do now?"  
  
Darien got off the bed and reached a hand out to Serena. "We get the hell out of here," he said with a slight smile. She put her hand in his and quiet as possible got off the bed. The frame creak when she got off, her heart almost stopped, Darien was already heading towrads the window. Walking in their scoks made no sound on the floor. "Damn it."  
  
Serena had been looking anxiously at the door. Darien's mutter turned her around. "What, what's wrong? Is it locked."  
  
"Yes and it's nailed shut. There's no way in hell I'll get it open without being heard."  
  
She bit her lip. "Now what?"  
  
He reached out and ran his kneckles of his left hand along her jaw line. "Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of here. Like I said I was."  
  
The breif, but intimate contact caught her off gaurd, causing her to freeze. Putting his hand up tp get her to stay where she, Darien moved quietly across the room to the door. He listen through the wood then tried the knob. It wasn't locked. "They weren't expecting us to get free. The door's not locked.  
  
"So what are we going to do?" Her voice was so quiet she bearly heard herself.  
  
Holding two fingers to his lips, as a command for her to be quiet, he openned the door and peeked out. The handcuff still dangled from his right wrist, but he kept it quiet. Holding her breath, Serena peered over his shoulder into the dark hallway. A gleam of light at the other end of the hallway indicated where their kidnapper was. She heard the faint sound of music coming from the room. 'A raidio? Out here?' She could just picture him sitting in the room, reading, listening to the music, and killing time till his cohorts rejoined him. 'Then what will happen?'  
  
Darien must have heard something she didn't becuase he quietly closed the door and put his hand on her forearm. "Get back on the bed," he murmured. "Bet in the same position you were in."  
  
"But..."  
  
Hurry." He practicly pulled her back to the bed. When she got there she sat on her knees again. He handed her the cuff. "Hold it at your side. Keep your ar down, it has to look liek your still wearing the cuff.." He stretched out on his back again, put his hands above his head, gripped the empty cuff in his left hand so it wasn't imediately appent that he wasn't wearing it.  
  
Serena heard foot steps coming close to the door. "What do you want me to do?" she whispered, her heart in her throat.  
  
"Stay out of my way."  
  
The door opened as the words left Dariens mouth. The man came in carring two plastic cups of water in his left hand. "It brought you some water. You'll get some food when my partners return."Serena didn't want to think of the other two men coming back yet.  
  
Darien glared at the man. "You are planning to uncuff me, right? I can't drink on my back."  
  
"Yeah right, nice trty, Cross,. Dont worry. I won't let you drown." The man walked closer to the bed, trying to hand Serena one of the cups. Suddenly afraid he would see the empty cuff she looked at Darien.  
  
A muscel in his cheek flexed, it was the only warning of his intentions. A heartbeat later he made his move. He came off the mattress in one smooth powerful motion.. The dangling cuff clattered against the iron headboard, the bed frame squeacked loudly, as the two cups of water flew and splashed them.  
  
Caught completly off gaurd, the dark man was in a fight before he even knew what was going on. He stumbleed back and went down hard, hitting the wooden floor with aloud crack. The scuffle didn't last long. Using his fist and the dangling cuff, Darien rendered the man unconscious. Even though she knew it was necessary Serena was a bit stunned by the cold, controlled violence Darien showed. She thought he looked dangerous in black, but now she knew he was dangerous in any color.  
  
He stood up and wipped the drops of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his left hand. 'The other man must have gotten a few hits in to cause blood,' she thought.  
  
"You said this was the man with the gun, right?"  
  
Serena took a step forward. "Yes, he was the only one with a gun."  
  
"He doesn't have one now. He must have thought he didn't need it so he properly left it in the other room."  
  
A flash of light shined dimly through the window made Serena gasp. "A car. The others must be coming back."  
  
"We better get out of here. Lets go out the back." He grabbed her hand and almost pulled her as he moved quickly towards the door. She didn't take the time to look around the shabby cabin. She just wanted to get the hell out of it. A swinging bat door at the back of the room where their captor sat led to a cramped kitchen. Still half dragging Serena, Darien truneed the knob at the back door, openned it and ran outside.  
  
At last done. So sorry it took so long. With my other story and school.... There really isn't enough time in the day. But hopefully the next update won't take to long. Moon Baby  
  
P.S. Please Reveiw. 


	7. Chapter 6

Kidnapped By: Moon Baby Rating: PG E-mail: MoonBabyGirl16@yahoo.com  
  
Authors Note: Okay. It's finally here. Sorry I got really busy with school and my other story. I wanted to finish it but I kept getting one ideas right after another. So I'm keeping it going. N E Ways, here it is. Andrew knows they're missing, Darien and Serena got away. No, they didn't take the gun. They didn't have time. They didn't even grab they're shoes. Enjoy.  
  
They escaped. The cabin was remote, with no light to guide their way across the small clearing that lay behind the cabin. Several times they stumbled before plunging into the forest that surrounded the clearing.  
  
Trying to force her eyes to adjust to the darkness, Serena looked at the sky. Tree limbs just leafing out for the summer practically blocked the pale moon from her sight. The faint light provided gave little assistance in crossing the rocky, uneven ground. The black clothes Darien wore made him blend in with the darkness. She was very obvious in her light khaki pants, denim jacket, and light blue shirt.  
  
Her thin socks were torn and she was sure there was a deep cut on her right foot. Afraid that their captors would be right behind them, with shoes, guns, and flashlights, she just tried to ignore the pain and kept moving. Despite ignoring it she couldn't help but stumble. She would have fallen if Darien hadn't caught her. 'Why is it easier for him. Was he accustomed to walking almost barefoot on rocky grounds.' "Do you think they're chasing us?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
He helped her cross a fallen log. "They just won't let us get away like that. They need us to get whatever it is from Andrew. We have to keep moving."  
  
"Can we-" She winced when she stepped on a pinecone. "Can we find a road?"  
  
He didn't slow down as he answered her. "They're properly patrolling the road. Our best bet is to get as far away from them as we possibly can. They don't know what direction we went, so it won't easy for them to follow us."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Serena. Don't talk. Move." He put his hand on her back to help support her and urging her forward. Biting her lower lip she kept moving.  
  
It was a hell of a journey. Rocks, fallen branches, pinecones, and other debris stabbed her already cut feet, while tree branches slapped her face. Deep holes and sheer limestone bluffs made their passage more hellish.  
  
Staying very close to Darien, Serena locked her jaw and kept going. She was exhausted, winded, and in a lot of pain. But she refused to give in to her pain in front of Darien. As long he moved she would to. Or die trying. 'The latter seems more likely to happen first.' (The latter means the last thing said. 'Or die trying' is the latter) A loud gasp escaped from her when she twisted her ankle on a rough patch of ground. But she get going.  
  
By the time Darien tugged her to stop she was in a zone. Moving without thinking, without feeling, without looking from side to side, without caring. Swaying, she blinked at him barely able to focus on him. She mainly concentrated on his midnight blue eyes.  
  
"Are you all right?" His voice sounded different. Muffled, hollow, distant.  
  
"I'm fine." Her own voice sounded even stranger to her than his did.  
  
"You need to rest. It should be safe. I don't hear anyone following us."  
  
"I can keep going. I'm fine." She starts walking again.  
  
He grabs her wrist. "Then I need a rest." He looked around for a moment, then pulled her to sit on a rock with him. "We'll sit here for a while, okay?"  
  
"Fine." They settled carefully in the large rock beneath a tree. The rock was rough and very uncomfortable but it was a great relief to be off her feet Serena didn't even think to complain. She leaned on the tree behind them with a weary sigh. That sigh quickly turned into a gasp of pain.  
  
Darien's head quickly snapped to face her. "What's wrong?"  
  
"My feet," she gasped out as she was consumed by more pain. Spears of pain shot up from the soles of her feet to her legs, up her back, and moved all the way to the back of her neck. Every part of her body hurt, but most of the pain centered in her poor abused feet.  
  
Darien slid off the rock and hunched in front of her and picked up her right foot. He lightly rubbed his fingers down her foot. Even though his touch was as light as a feather she still winced when he brushed a deep cut. He put her right foot down gently and picked up her left. "Your bleeding from several cuts on your feet. There's properly dirt in them, and tiny pieces of gravel in the cuts. Also you have some bad bruises and scrapes. No wonder your hurting."  
  
"Well, aren't you hurting? You don't have any shoes either."  
  
"I have some cuts, but not many. My feet are more callused then yours."  
  
'Of course they are.' With her head against the tree, Serena closed her eyes and swallowed a moan. 'I hate looking so weak in front of this tough, strong, and very self-sufficient man, but I just about reached my limit.'  
  
"Anybody ever tell you you're tougher than you look?" Darien asked as he set her left foot carefully on the ground.  
  
A lone tear escaped from her eye. "There's no need to flatter me now."  
  
"I'm not. I'm just stating facts." He moved to where he was sitting before. Then put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him. "Get some rest," he said gruffly. "We're safe, now." 'For a while.'  
  
'Safe? We're sitting in an unknown forest on a pitch black night, three armed men are chasing us, no lights, no food or water, no way to get help, and we don't even have shoes. We are nowhere near safe,' Serena thought as she sat stiff against Darien, but she slowly found herself relaxing against him. Her breath came out in a long, tired sigh. Allowing herself to float on the waves of pain that ran through her body. She closed her eyes and tried to block out those thought. 'I'll be stronger later, now I need to rest.'  
  
Darien didn't know if Serena was sleeping just drifting. Her breathing was deep and even, her body warm and limp against his. Remembering the condition of her feet, or at least what he could tell in the dark, he wouldn't blame her is she was whinnying right now. 'She's definitely tougher than she looks.'  
  
Sitting very still so he wouldn't disturb her, he took an assessment of his condition. His face was a little sore from the other guy's fist, the heavy cuff was still dangling. He lost the hairpin at the cabin. 'It's properly in the bed. I must have dropped it when I jumped up to attack that guy.' But the annoying weight on his wrist was the least of his problem right now.  
  
Serena sighed and shifted against him. Guessing her position was keeping her from resting well, he pulled her more snugly into his shoulder. She muttered something into his shoulder, then nestled closer to him, hiding her face in his throat, as if to her hide from everything that threatened them. 'No one is getting to her without going through me first,' he vowed. He loosened his hold on her a little bit remembering that he was here to protect her, for Andrew. 'I don't think Andrew would appreciate my efforts so far. I antagonized her sister, bored her into locking herself in her room with paperwork, insult her, almost kiss her, then carelessly got us captured. I hadn't been careful enough, hadn't been vigilant enough, even though I sensed something was wrong. I should have listened to my instincts, kept my guard up. Instead I got distracted by....well things I had no business noticing.'  
  
A strand if Serena's hair tickled his cheek. Without thinking, he reached up with is right hand and brushed it back and nearly hit her with the swinging cuff. He caught it in time, 'Great I can add, almost conking her on the head with a cuff to the list,' he spent several minutes yelling at himself for almost causing her more pain.  
  
He'd tried to tell her he was not a bodyguard, not anymore, 'I'd say our present circumstances is proof of that.'  
  
********************************  
  
It was still dark when Darien woke Serena. "We should start moving again," he whispered.  
  
"How long have we been sitting here?" she asked groggily, lifting her head from his shoulder.  
  
"I'm guessing about an hour or so. I haven't heard anyone coming after us, but I know they are. We can't just sit here and wait for them to find us."  
  
She took a deep breath and pushed herself upright. Just the thought of standing made her want to groan, but she clenched her teeth and accoutered Darien's hand when he rose and extended it to her. She almost did groan when he battered feet protested to her weight, but she bit it back and took a few practice steps. 'The pain is very intense, but I can handle it because I have no choice.' "Which direction?" she asked.  
  
Darien ran a hand lightly over her disheveled hair in what seemed like a gesture of approval. "Do you want to hold on to me arm for support?"  
  
"I might need it later," she admitted, "but I'll try to make it on my own for a while, okay?"  
  
His nos was barely visible in all the gloom. "Then lets get moving."  
  
She took some small comfort on the fact that Darien was limping, too. While it was reassuring to believe that Darien was totally in control of the situation, it was also a little nice to know he wasn't completely immune to the weaknesses affecting her.  
  
She forged on, following him deeper into the forest, trusting him to make choices on her behalf. For now.  
  
She started counting her steps. 'One, two, three, four....' the silent cadence was the only thing that kept her moving. She told herself that if she could just take ten more steps.... then ten more... she would survive. They made it over the rocks and fallen limbs that blocked their way, through heavy brush that appeared in clusters to tangle their feet, along the edge of the many bluffs that filled the mountainous regions. "Darien, do you know where we are?" she asked at one point. "Do you know how to get us to a road or a phone?"  
  
"No. At this time, I couldn't even say which state we're in. I'm guessing it's either Arkansas or Missouri."  
  
'So we're lost. At least we aren't handcuffed to an iron bed frame, at the mercy if three kidnappers. Ten more steps,' she thought to herself, 'ten more steps, one, two, three......'  
  
Again it was Darien who brought them to a halt beside a small stream they could easily step over. He knelt and scooped a handful of water in to his mouth.  
  
"It isn't safe to drink from the stream like that," Serena pointed out.  
  
"Well, I don't have any purification tablets on me. Do you?" He raised an eyebrow.  
  
Because she knew it was rhetorical, she didn't answer.  
  
"Have a drink," he urged, "a small amount won't hurt you. I don't want you to dehydrate."  
  
Images of microbes and pollutions crossed her mind, but she was to thirsty to care. Just the sound of the water made her mouth feel dry. She knelt beside him and dipped her hand in the cool water. The water shimmered black in the moonlight. The night air was cool blowing lightly across her face. She might have felt cold had they not been running for their lives.  
  
She brought the water to her lips. It tasted a little metallic, but felt good sliding down her throat. An owl hooted above her as she swallowed another handful. She hadn't really been aware of the nightlife that was in the forest around them. From the occasional brush of leaves, flapping of wings, or distant cry, she heard it all, but hadn't paid all that much attention. Nor had she worried before about any wild animals the might encounter. But the predators that frightened her the most tonight walked on two legs not four.  
  
Darien helped her back to her feet. "You need to rest again," he said putting his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Is it safe to rest?"  
  
"I think so. We've put a great deal of distance between us and our kidnappers. Plus, I've been changing directions very often. It won't be easy for them to track us."  
  
'I hadn't even notice he changed direction.' "Can we find someplace to hide so we can rest?" She didn't like the idea of sleeping again and have him be wrong and their captors find them.  
  
"Exactly what I was thinking." He winked at her. He helped her over the stream, then led her a short distance farther to a bluff that rose above them.  
  
'He doesn't expect me to climb, does he?' He pushed a low-hanging branch to reveal a darker area on the shadowed face of the bluff.  
  
"A cave I spotted when I bent down to drink from the stream."  
  
'Apparently he night vision was better than mine, which doesn't surprise me.' She eyed the dark hole wearily. "What if there is a bear or a lion or a snake in there?"  
  
"I'll check it out." He bent down and picked up a big stick at his feet, the moved in. "Wait here, okay?"  
  
She nodded as she watched him poke around the hole. She held her breath as he moved farther into it. She didn't like having him out of her sight, even for a short time. She was relieved when he reappeared in front of her. "It's clean," he said, "and it's well hidden. We should be safe here for a while." When she hesitated he smiled at her. "Have I led you wrong so far?"  
  
'That's the first time he actually smiled, not one of those half smiles but a real smile. He picked a hell of a time for it,' she thought with a shake of her head. Yet the smile relaxed her enough to move towards the cave.  
  
Cave was an overstatement, she discovered when she went in, hole was more like it, an indention, even. There was just enough room for the tow of them to sit side by side with their legs in front of them. The back wall of the cave was a bit damp and slimy, for all she knew there could be creepy- crawlies all over the wall. She didn't care. She leaned back and sighed. Her body going limp against the rock. Shoulder to shoulder, she and Darien sat silently while they let their breathing and heartbeats slow from the strenuous hike.  
  
She couldn't see him at all now. No light penetrated the opening. Serena was glad their shoulders were touching, 'just for the reassurance that he was still there. No other reason of course,' she told herself, closing her eyes. 'Right?'  
  
Done. I know it's a little short but I wanted to get it up so I cut it short. I hope you like it. I know I like it. So just review and tell me what you think. Moon Baby 


	8. Chapter 7

Kidnapped  
  
By: Moon Baby  
  
Rating: PG  
  
E-mail: Moonbabygirl16yahoo.com  
  
Author's Note: I am so sorry it has taken me so long. My computer crashed and I lost everything on it. Including, over 2000 pic and over 400 wonderful stories from very talented writers. I'm gonna try and get most of them back but it will be hard 'cause I don't remember all the web sites I got them from. But if you have any sites that have pics or stories you think I might enjoy or want a list of the titles of the stories I lost your help would be greatly appreciated. And thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews. I do enjoy reading them. Well enough about my pitiful life and computer. On with the story. LOL  
  
When Serena opened her eyes again the gray light of a cloudy down was filtering into the cave. She was curled up on her side with her head on Darien's thigh. With a slight gasp she lifted her head up. "It's okay," he said rubbing his hand up and down her back. "We're safe."  
  
'He sounded completely alert. I doubt he slept at all last night. Had he sat here guarding me all night?' She cleared her throat as she sat and straightened, at least tried to straightened her tangled hair. "I'm sorry. I don't know how I wound up--."  
  
"I put you like that," he said matter of factly. Darien shifted his weight, indicating he got a little cramped serving as her pillow. She gave him a puzzled look. "You fell asleep and looked uncomfortable, so I shifted you a little. No big deal." He sounded so casual in his explanation.  
  
"Did you get any rest?"  
  
He shrugged, "Sitting still for a long while was good enough."  
  
'Maybe our trek had had been as hard on him as it had for me. Maybe he was hiding how hard it was. Why would he do that? I'll never figure him out. But for some reason I want to. Strange.' Now that it was day light Serena decided to look at her feet. Crossing her legs she turned her feet so she could see the bottom of them; her once white socks were ripped and black from dirt and dried blood, with gaping holes revealing the bruised and shredded skin beneath the sock. She grimaced at the awful sight. She didn't even think about removing the sock yet, but when the time came it would be very painful.  
  
Still leaning against the wall, Darien looked at her feet. "Haven't walked around barefoot much, have you?'  
  
"No. When I was about eight, I stepped on a nail. It tore into my foot and I had to have a tetanus shot. I was so traumatized I refused to go barefoot. I never got into the habit of it. Even at home I ware slippers," she admitted with another grimace.  
  
"That explains your delicate feet. The walk last night must have been torture for you."  
  
"It wasn't easy but if you could do it so could I. How did you do it anyway? Are you in the habit of going barefoot outdoors?" She raised her eyebrows.  
  
He shrugged his shoulder. "I almost never wore shoes as a kid; I was a typical redneck, wild, barefoot kid."  
  
She found it hard to believe that the quiet, sophisticated man who arrived on her doorstep; the man who just returned from Venice, Andrew Falcon's best friend and trusted confidant, describe himself as a wild barefoot "redneck".  
  
"So, I guess that means you spent a lot of time in the woods?" She smiled at him.  
  
"A fair amount of it, why?" He looked at her suspiciously.  
  
"I was hoping you'd know how to scavenge for food." She patted her hand on her stomach.  
  
"I don't, sorry. I usually brought supplies when I spent the day in the woods." He looked at her regretful.  
  
She sighed. "Oh well, I guess I could diet for a few days."  
  
He looked at her up and down, "You don't need to diet."  
  
She looked at the cave entrance to hide a blush that covered her cheeks. "I'm really thirsty again. I might risk another drink of water from the stream before we go."  
  
Whatever Darien said was lost in the loud crash of thunder. It startled Serena, proving she was still a little on the edge, she reached over and unknowingly grabbed Darien's hand. "It sounds like it's going to rain," she said and gave Darien's hand a squeeze.  
  
Suddenly the sound of hard rain filled the cave. A gust of wind pushed mist inside. "It just might rain," he said sarcastically.  
  
"Great," she murmured.  
  
"It's not so bad. Any tracks we might have made will be gone."  
  
She tried to see something positive about their circumstance, and she knew he was trying to put a positive spin on it for her, but it wasn't working. She appreciated his effort, though. "What are we going to do now?" she asked with her hand still holding his as more thunder sounded.  
  
"We'll have to wait till it stops. We wouldn't get very far out there in that." He gave her hand a squeeze.  
  
"And when the rain stops?"  
  
He let go of her hand and looped his arms around his knees, and looked at the rain. "We move on."  
  
She stretched out her legs keeping her poor feet as still as possible. The thought of hiking again wasn't a real pleasant one. The cave was dry and well hidden, both of which made Serena reluctant to leave, but they couldn't wait here to be rescued. For one, no one was looking for, them except their kidnappers. "Do you think we'll be able to find away out, before they find us?" She looked at him.  
  
"We're going to be real careful about who finds us. Our biggest problem is figuring out which direction to go in when we leave the cave. Most likely we are in the middle of several thousand acres of forest. If we go deeper into the forest, further away from people it could be days before we find anyone, though I hate to risk going long without food." He was still looking outside at the rain.  
  
"And if we go back the way we came, we could run into the kidnappers?" She shook her head.  
  
"Exactly. I'm almost positive they're looking for us, and might have brought back up." He looked at her.  
  
"So?" She gave him a questioned look.  
  
He shrugged his shoulders. "We do our best. I'll make some guesses, and we'll hope for a little luck." Darien smiled at her.  
  
"Are you usually lucky?" Serena raised her eyebrow at him. It was nothing but a joke to keep him smiling. It had the opposite effect. He stopped smiling and turned to look back out at the rain. After a couple of awkward moments, Serena tried to him to talk some more. The weather was always a safe topic. "It sounds as though the rain has decided to stay for awhile," she said turning to look at the entrance of the cave.  
  
He nodded, "It's coming down hard."  
  
Serena hugged her light jean shirt closer to her body. (AN: I don't know if I said this or not but when she got her purse she grabbed a light jean shirt.) "It's getting colder."  
  
"Not really. It's just the air blowing in is damp and that makes it feel colder." He kept staring at the rain.  
  
"At least the cave is on high ground so water isn't getting in."  
  
He grunted.  
  
She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She didn't even get a monosyllabic reply that time. He grunted. 'We might as well have been back in the car, except I don't even have passing scenery to entertain me. This could be a long morning,' she thought leaning back against the cave. 'At least we're dry and safe, for the moment. I have to think positive. Just remember that and I'll survive' Serena was never really good at judging the time by the sun. She was sitting close to the opening watching the rain fall for what seemed for a long when she finally broke the silence, "I wonder what time it is?"  
  
Darien seemed to come back from deep thought at the sound of her voice. "I'd guess its mid-morning. Ten, ten-thirty, some time around there."  
  
She nodded her head hoping he was right and started thinking about her sister. "I really hope Mina hasn't heard about us being kidnapped," her voice was filled with concern for her sister. "She'd be frantic if she finds out what happened." Remembering the morning of the day she left and how Mina tried to talk her out of going.  
  
"I guess that all depends on whether Andrew tells her or not. My prediction is he won't tell anyone till he gets more information."  
  
So you think Andrew has been contacted by the kidnappers?" She turned to look at him. Her hair fell over her eyes.  
  
"Probably. I expect that's what the other two guys were doing while they were gone." He continued to look at the rain.  
  
Serena put the strands behind her ear. "You've known Andrew a lot longer then I have, what do you think he'll do? Has he contacted the police? My sister?"  
  
Darien thought for a moment, sighed and answered. "He hasn't called the police. He won't want take the chance of a media leak, so he probably hasn't called your sister."  
  
"So what is he doing?" She raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Looking for us. He has contacts; they'll probably be on our trail faster than the police or a rescue team."  
  
She was quiet for a moment then remembered something he said when they were in the room. "What was it you learned when that man got us water yesterday? When he left the room you said you knew what was going on."  
  
Darien's response surprised her, "I recognized him," he said quietly.  
  
Shocked she moved around to face him. "You know him? Who is he? How do you know him? Do you know why he took us?"  
  
"I didn't say I knew him. I said I recognized him. Meaning I've seen him before. I don't think he knew I'd seen him before." He looked into her eyes.  
  
"So you've seen him before but was never introduced. Do I have it right?" She searched his blues eyes.  
  
"Right. I saw him leaving an office I was entering. It was a couple weeks ago in New York. He probably never saw me -- if he did I doubt he knew I recognized him."  
  
"How sis you recognized him?" she raised an eyebrow.  
  
He shrugged and answered, "I have a good memory for faces." He broke their eye contact and looked pass her, and out of the cave.  
  
"You sure it's the same man?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"He was in New York," she shook her head. "Do you know who he works for? Or do you think him and his flunkies cooked up this scheme on their own?"  
  
Darien shook his head. "No, they had someone telling them what to do. I'd bet the CEO of the company Andrew's been trying to take over had something to do with this. It's been a hostile take over, but everything was in place, all the details ironed out. That's why Andrew and I were surprised by the last minute bugs that popped up which kept him in New York so long. They're annoying and time-consuming and a pain in the ass, but they wouldn't have stopped the takeover."  
  
"You think Andrew was deliberately kept in New York so we could be taken?" She tilted her head to the side.  
  
"It seems a little to coincidental not to have been deliberate."  
  
"So do you think the condition of our release is for Andrew to stop the takeover?"  
  
"No, nothing like that. I imagine its straightforward ransom. Swift has been complaining that he didn't get enough money for his company shares, even though he got what he deserved, probably a bit more, if you ask me. Looks like he wanted more." He shock his head.  
  
Light bulb came on in Serena's head. "Swift, that's the CEO you mentioned before?"  
  
Darien nodded and closed his eyes.  
  
"And he's the type who would try something like this?"  
  
"He's a crook. He got his company by swindling someone else out of it. He almost drained it dry by the time Andrew tried to take it over. Swift's name has been connected to several crimes. Mail fraud, embezzlement, that sort of thing, but there's never been enough evidence to charge him. Yeah, he's the type to do this."  
  
"Do you --"  
  
He opened his eyes and looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Do I what?"  
  
"Do you think they ever intended to let us go?" He could hear the quiver in her voice. He held her eyes for along while then had to look away. 'He never lied to me,' Serena mused, ' he simply didn't answer some of my questions. Maybe that's for the best.' She still felt the need to ask one more question. "Do you think Andrew will find us?"  
  
He looked her in the eyes and answered without hesitation. "He'll find us."  
  
"You seem very confident about that and in him." Their gazes were still locked.  
  
"I am," he answered simply.  
  
"I hope you're right," she muttered as she turned back to sitting next to him and looked out the cave.  
  
After a few minutes of listening and looking at the rain Darien asked, "How are your feet?"  
  
"Numb. I can't really feel them anymore." She chuckled.  
  
"Are you still thirsty?"  
  
"Not enough to go out in the rain to get a drink." She smiled at the thought.  
  
"I'd go get you some water but I don't have anything to carry it in for you."  
  
'He is so determined to take care of me.' A bit wistfully, she found herself wondering if he was only like that because he thought it was his job. "That's okay."  
  
"I wish I had something to give you to eat. I guess we could eat some acorns or something like that."  
  
That made her laugh out loud. "No thanks. I'm not that hungry." She smiled and looked at him as he turned to look at her.  
  
"You have a nice laugh and smile," he muttered as he looked at the smile on her lips.  
  
She stopped smiling and looked away.  
  
Darien looked away. "Uh...Andrew thinks so, too. He mentioned that when he first told me about you."  
  
Andrew. The name slid between them like an invisible wall.  
  
'Funny, I can hardly remember what he looked like at this moment.' She chuckled.  
  
The rain slowed then stopped. Serena inched to the north of the cave to look out again. Water dripped off the leaves of trees that obscured their hideout. Swollen by the rain the stream was high on the bank and ran more swiftly downstream. A deer and her fawn drank from the stream then turned and disappeared gracefully in the forest. The sky was still gray, but the rain seem to have ended for a while. Under different circumstances Serena would have enjoyed the unspoiled nature. She wasn't at all surprised when Darien suggested, "We should get moving. Before it starts raining again."  
  
'It won't be easy,' she nodded. "I'm ready."  
  
"You sure you can walk?" Concern shone in his eyes.  
  
She looked at him and brought her chin up. "I can walk," she stated firmly.  
  
"It's going to be wet and slippery in some places."  
  
"I'll be careful." She nodded to emphasis that she meant it.  
  
He put his hand on her arm when she started to get up. "Serena, I'm real sorry this happened to you. You don't deserve this."  
  
"Neither do you. So let's get going." She put her hand on his.  
  
He tried not to smile. "Right behind you, General."  
  
His rare show of humor surprised her. He took his hand off her arm and pushed her a little back so he could step out of the cave and put his hand in and helped her out of the cave. Resisting the urge to curse out in pain when her feet hit the ground. He started walking and she fell into step beside him.  
  
'Ten steps at a time,' she told herself. She would make it, just ten steps at a time.  
  
Cold waves of anger poured over the blonde hair man sitting behind the desk in his office. The temperature in the room dropped a good ten degrees. Andrew Falcon didn't lose his temper very often but when he did people usually duck and cover.  
  
Greg Colby didn't duck or cover, but he kept his voice as soothing as possible as he completed his report, "We had a possible sighting last night of the van the witness said was hanging around the diner at the time Darien and Serena were taken. It was reported speeding in north-central Arkansas by a state trooper. Unfortunately he lost sight the van after it to several sharp turns on twisted side roads. That's around the area that we tracked the ransom call, too. There are dozen hunting cabins and isolated rural buildings where they could be hiding in. That's if they haven't moved on, of course."  
  
Andrew studied his chief of security through narrow midnight blue eyes. "We're assuming they haven't. It wouldn't be easy to take Darien down in the first place, much less keep moving him, so concentrate on searching in that area."  
  
"The St. Frances National Forest is about a million acres. I think we can narrow it down. I've marked off several grids, and I already have teams out there."  
  
"I want them found, Greg." There was no room left for question in his voice.  
  
"Yes sir." He nodded.  
  
"In the meantime, I'll stall the callers. They're suppose to call me tomorrow. I asked them for twenty-four hours to get the ransom together without arousing the media."  
  
Greg frowned. "They didn't argue with you about that?"  
  
"The guy made some noise and threatened to hurt them but yeah, he gave it to me."  
  
"That's interesting." Greg rubbed his chin with his right hand.  
  
"That's what I thought. Why was he so willing to delay?" Andrew raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Maybe there's problems on their end," Greg suggested.  
  
"Maybe," Andrew agreed as he turned in his chair and looked out the window.  
  
Greg cleared his throat and tried to phrase his next question carefully. "Maybe they're willing to stall because something happened with their hostages?"  
  
Andrew whirled around and faced Greg. The only change in his expression was a muscle jump in his jaw. "Just keep looking." His face shone with fury.  
  
Because Greg knew Andrew forever he recognized the genuine pain behind his stern and controlled face. Greg nodded and quickly rose to his feet. "We will find them, Andrew."   
  
Andrew stared at Greg without really seeing him standing there. "Yes, we'll find them." 'I won't accept any other possibility.'  
  
The rain didn't hold off for very long. They were walking for almost an hour before the down pour started again. They found shelter under a jutting bluff but it provided little protection and they both got pretty wet. Serena tried to hide her shivering from Darien, but she guessed he suspected he knew she was freezing. He didn't mention it because there was nothing he could have done about it, except keep her moving. Which he did as soon as the rain stopped again.  
  
She was thirsty again, her stomach rumbled almost as loud as the thunder, and her head felt like it got run over by truck. 'I want a nice cold glass of water, long hot shower, a hot meal and a soft bed. In that order, of course. (AN: Of course, who wouldn't in her shoes, or in this case feet.) And a toothbrush.' She ran her tongue over her teeth. She did her best to rinse her mouth with her finger at the stream they were following, but she wanted a toothbrush with her favorite mint-flavored toothpaste.  
  
In an attempt to distract herself from her discomfort she tried to concentrate on the beauty of nature. Which meant she had to ignore the heavy gray sky crowding around them. If there had been more sunshine, the spring leaves would have been a soft green, the hills and steep valleys would have been dotted with dogwoods and redbuds in full bloom. She saw an occasional bird or squirrel, but most of the wild life seemed to be holed up from the dismal weather.  
  
She'd taken her eyes off her feet while she surveyed the area. (AN: In case you didn't know they were walking through the woods again.) She tripped over a thick vine, and for once Darien wasn't there to catch her. She went down hard, landing on her on her hands and knees.  
  
He was instantly at her side. "Are you okay?"  
  
Embarrassed, she straightened to sit on her knees and brushed the mud and the wet leaves from her hands. "I'm fine."  
  
"Let me see your hands." He took her hands in his, turned her palms up, and examined them. Fortunately, the ground was soft from the rain and only her pride was injured.  
  
Though he was still a mystery to her she was getting to know him better. 'Well enough to know he is blaming himself for my fall. Typical Darien.' She smiled and chuckled.  
  
Still holding her hands he frowned down at her. "Can you walk?"  
  
"Of course I can walk." Serena rolled her eyes. "I just tripped on a vine, Darien, not fall down a well. I'm fine, really."  
  
His face was his usual rock-hard mask he wore to cover his emotions, but she saw the spark of anger in his eyes. "You shouldn't be going through this," he muttered. "When we get out of this and I get my hands on the people behind this..."  
  
She squeezed his hands. "We'll get out of this." She looked into his icy blue eyes. "Then you can take the steps necessary to get justice for this. Legally of course." She gave him a lopsided smile.  
  
She didn't catch his growl response, but she had a feeling he didn't care about the legality of the revenge he was planning.  
  
"Let's keep walking. I'll be more careful."  
  
He pulled her to her feet and they moved onward. This time, however, Darien was never more than an arms length away. Serena was both annoyed and amused by his obvious assumption that she couldn't take care of herself. She noticed his steps were slowing and he was limping almost as much as she was. She took no pleasure in his discomfort but she focused on remembering that if he could keep going then she could, too.  
  
She looked up at the sky, noting that it looked like it could start raining any minute. As if to make her point, a fat drop fell on her cheek and down her chin. "How long do you think it's been since we left the cave?"  
  
He looked up at the sky then back to where he was walking. "I don't know. Maybe four or five hours. We have a few more hours till it gets dark."  
  
"We've walked for so long, wouldn't we have come across some sign of civilization by now?"  
  
"Didn't you read about the little girl that was lost in a forest in Northern Arkansas a year or so ago? She just wondered away from her parents and it took hundreds of searchers three or four days to find her. Even after she was found it took them another six or so hours to get her out of the forest and back to her family. The forest is big and dense and the terrain is so rough it's easy to get lost but hard to be found."  
  
She swallowed hard. For once, Darien told her more than she wanted to know. She took time to remember that the little girl was unharmed even after several days and nights with no food.  
  
She dropped her head and kept moving, looking only at her feet. She wouldn't fall again. There was nothing except trees and bluffs ahead. Occasionally, Darien would help her up a steep incline, over a log it across a large, mossy, bolder. For the most part, though, they traveled in silence.  
  
They were walking along for almost a half hour in a single line though a narrow ridge when Darien came to an abrupt stop which caused her to barrel into him. "What? What is it?" she asked standing on her tiptoes to look over his shoulder.  
  
"A cabin," he stated mater-of-fatly.  
  
It's finally finished. This chapter at least. I am so sorry that it took so long to update. I had some trouble with this story. I hit a little writer's block. Plus my computer must not have liked my story as much as you guys do 'cause it wouldn't save it. Well, thanks to everyone who reviewed and told me what you thought. I enjoyed reading them all. "Halloween Love" will be updated as soon as I get over my writer's block. Please, if you have any ideas for a chapter let me know. I would greatly appreciate your suggestions. Thanks again. Moon Baby. 


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